Pilot's prophetic words one year before stabbing
Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed while flying to Tel Aviv. But who was he?
In a harrowing incident on Wednesday, Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar exhibited extraordinary bravery when a co-pilot allegedly attacked him and attempted to crash the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Captain Machchhar, who had not encountered any emergency landings previously, managed to fight back, resist his injuries, and open the cockpit door, allowing a passenger and crew member to subdue the co-pilot. A second pair of off-duty pilots subsequently landed the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The Indian and Israeli governments have hailed Captain Machchhar a hero for saving the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised him as a "hero," while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his admiration on social media. Captain Machchhar, originally from Gujarat but currently residing in Mumbai, India's financial hub, had been with flydubai for four years after a 11-year tenure with SpiceJet.
In the aftermath of the attack, the pilot was critically injured, suffering massive blood loss and severe wounds to his head and hands. An Israeli dentist, the only doctor on board, administered first aid and stabilized Captain Machchhar's blood pressure. He has since been taken to the hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
The underlying reasons for the incident remain unknown, and flydubai has urged against premature speculation. Captain Machchhar's colleagues and friends have expressed their admiration and concern for his recovery, with many describing him as a "great guy" and a "very decent" individual.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
