From hospital bed, Captain Smit tells PM Modi: Couldn’t let others die
Captain Smit Machchhar, who thwarted a hijacking attempt on a flydubai flight, recounted his experience during a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister praised the pilot's bravery and highlighted the international cooperation involved in his recovery.
Why it matters
The story serves as a high-profile narrative of individual heroism and national pride, emphasizing the role of Indian professionals in global safety and international diplomatic relations.
Bleeding on the cockpit floor after being attacked by his co-pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar said his thoughts were fixed on saving all 174 passengers as the assailant frenetically tried to crash the aircraft. Drawing strength from Hanuman Chalisa, he made a final push to open the cockpit door, allowing others to overpower the attacker and steer the plane to safety.In his first publicly available account, Machchhar spoke from his Abu Dhabi hospital bed to PM Narendra Modi by video call Friday. “I was fighting for my life, but I was determined not to let others die. There was a moment when I was lying down, when I realised that the plane was going down,” he said.Machchhar said he had told himself to get up and act.
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