FlyDubai Captain Says He Saved 170 on 16,000-Foot Plunge After Cockpit Stabbing
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 2
FlyDubai Captain Says He Saved 170 on 16,000-Foot Plunge After Cockpit Stabbing
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 2
Summary
Capt. Smit Machchhar said from his hospital bed that, despite grievous stab wounds, he opened the cockpit door during the attack, enabling passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot.
About 170 people were aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight when the Boeing 737 Max 8 plunged more than 16,000 feet in 30 seconds; Machchhar said he could feel the aircraft going down even after collapsing.
Israeli officials say the co-pilot appeared to have tried to crash the plane after stabbing Machchhar, though investigators are still piecing together the motive and sequence of events.
Saudi Arabia became the emergency landing site after two people aboard with flying experience helped bring the jet down safely; Machchhar was later transferred from a Saudi hospital to the UAE.
Narendra Modi praised Machchhar in a video call released Friday, turning the 17-year pilot into a hero in India as authorities continue examining how the cockpit attack unfolded.