Shocking details regarding the bloody hijacking attempt of a Flydubai aircraft have come to light through the first public heartfelt testimony of Captain Sumit Macchar.
The Indian pilot, bearing severe injuries, fought a battle for survival inside the cockpit against his own co-pilot, managing at the last moment to unlock the door so that passengers could rush in and restrain the perpetrator.
The battle for life and the decision not to surrender
The captain of Flydubai confessed that the sole motivation that kept him alive was the realization that if he collapsed, the passengers would have had no hope of survival.
Describing the dramatic moments of flight FZ 1073 bound for Tel Aviv during a video call with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, Sumit Macchar recounted that during those minutes he was literally fighting for his life, lying on the floor of the cockpit and bleeding heavily.
Benjamin Netanyahu: «The perpetrator attacked with an axe»
The nightmarish picture of the attack was also confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stated to the CBS News network that the attacker dealt successive blows or stabs to the captain using an axe.
Benjamin Netanyahu described Sumit Macchar as a true hero, emphasizing that, despite the relentless bleeding, he managed to reach the door mechanism. It remains unclarified how the co-pilot obtained the weapon, although analysts estimate that he used the dedicated emergency crash axe that is mandatorily equipped inside the cockpit.
The cabin alarm raised by a mother and her daughter
The countdown to saving the aircraft began when a woman heading to the lavatory with her daughter noticed what was happening inside the cockpit.
As passenger Daniel Schlichter testified to Fox News, the woman retreated terrified toward the cabin screaming to the other passengers that the pilot was being stabbed. This scream instantly mobilized the passengers, who rushed toward the cockpit.
The internal battle: «What happens if I do not get up?»
Lying on the floor and watching the aircraft lose control, Sumit Macchar described the moment of ultimate trial. He wondered what would happen if he did not find the strength to rise and made the decision for one final effort, telling himself that the door was right in front of him.
Despite the fact that the attacker continued to strike him furiously, Sumit Macchar crawled, opened the latch, and then the passengers rushed into the cockpit, restraining the assailant. He explained that he acted to save his own life, knowing at the same time that he could not let everyone else perish.
Hospitalization in Abu Dhabi and emotional conversation with Narendra Modi
The pilot is currently hospitalized at a hospital in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, having previously received first aid in Saudi Arabia, where the emergency landing took place.
Dentist Shota Musayev, a passenger who rushed to assist, confirmed the immense blood loss of the captain. During his conversation with Narendra Modi, Sumit Macchar could not hold back his tears and apologized, with the two men continuing their conversation in the Gujarati language. The pilot also mentioned that his daughter was frightened when she saw him in this condition in the hospital, while his two-year-old son has not yet visited him.
From textile engineering to a heroic deed
Sumit Macchar did not plan from childhood to become a pilot, as he came from a family in the textile industry and had studied that specific engineering field.
However, he confessed to the Indian Prime Minister that this act of self-sacrifice made him feel truly proud of himself for the first time. The incident ended with the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia and the apprehension of the perpetrator thanks to the immediate intervention of the passengers.
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