Captain Sumit Machar, the pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073, recounted to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the dramatic confrontation in the aircraft’s cockpit and his efforts to prevent a tragedy in the air.
Machar, who is an Indian citizen, continues to receive treatment in hospital after suffering serious injuries during a struggle with his co-pilot. During his phone call with Modi, he described for the first time what happened inside the cockpit, where he was stabbed several times.
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Although he was injured, the captain managed to open the cockpit door. According to his account, this allowed others to intervene and helped avert a greater tragedy on the aircraft, which was traveling to Tel Aviv.
“Sumit, now I would like to hear from you,” Modi said during the phone conversation.
“Sir, I have always said that you are my greatest role model. The fact that you called me and encouraged me in this way makes me feel extremely proud,” the pilot replied.
Machar said that his co-pilot, an Omani citizen, had pulled out a knife and attacked him several times while the aircraft was losing altitude.
“At that moment, I was fighting for my life,” he said, recalling that his numerous injuries caused him to collapse onto the floor. Nevertheless, the captain realized that he had to find the strength to get up and act.
“I have been flying planes for 17 years, 11 of them as a captain. I can understand what is happening on an aircraft even with my eyes closed,” Machar said.
He said everything became critical when he felt that the aircraft had begun to descend.
“When I fell to the floor, I felt the aircraft going down. I knew for certain: If I made just one final movement, one final effort… the door was right there,” the captain recounted.
Machar said that although the attack on him was continuing, he managed to open the cockpit door and people immediately rushed inside.
“Even though they were hitting me more and more, as soon as I opened it, everyone came in. Each person played their part. I told myself that I was doing it for my own life, but at the same time I knew that I could not let all those people die there,” he said.
After the aircraft landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, the captain received medical assistance and also spoke about the care he was given there.
“The people here, from the moment I arrived in Saudi Arabia, gave me the best medical care and attention possible. I could not have received anything better,” Machar said.
During the conversation, he also described how he tried to cope with the pain and fear during those critical moments.
“I think only positively. Whenever I feel pain, only one thing comes to mind: I recite the Hanuman Chalisa,” he said, referring to the Hindu hymn dedicated to Hanuman.
“Even at that moment on the aircraft, as soon as I recited the Hanuman Chalisa, and I know it was God who saved me,” the captain added.
Machar became emotional during the phone call with the Indian prime minister and said that the call, along with the support expressed by Modi, had made him feel extremely proud.
