International
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar was bleeding heavily and feared he would not survive after being seriously injured in a mid-air incident aboard the flight FZ1073, an Israel-based dentist who treated him has recalled.
Dr Shota Musaev was flying on the flight when he heard screams coming from the cockpit. He rushed towards the scene and was surprised to find Machchhar with deep wounds to his head and left hand.
Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar sustained severe injuries on flight FZ1073 following an alleged mid-air assault by the co-pilot, receiving emergency treatment from a passenger dentist before the plane diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and is now recovering in the UAE.
With no medical equipment immediately available to control the severe bleeding, Musaev wrapped T-shirts around the wounds and applied pressure multiple times. He also requested ice packs from the cabin crew.
The dentist said the bleeding would get worse whenever he tried to lift it to check the injury. As a result, he kept pressing on the wounds for about 45 minutes without interruption while the aircraft was still in the air.
Machchhar was in severe pain but conscious. According to Musaev, the captain was repeatedly telling him that he wanted to live and did not want to die on the aircraft.
Musaev tried to reassure him, telling him that he would return to his family and that the aircraft would soon land.
Despite the captain’s pain, the dentist decided not to give any painkillers. He feared that moving the captain and giving him drugs might aggravate the bleeding.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Machchhar’s pulse suddenly dropped and his lips turned blue. Musaev asked a member of the cabin crew to get the airplane on the ground as fast as possible, warning them that the injured captain had little time left.
Machchhar was said to have somehow managed to open the cockpit door while injured on the floor, letting them reach him.
The Indian Embassy in the UAE has said the captain is getting better and recovering. Officials said they were in contact with his family, doctors and local authorities.
Machchhar was first treated in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, before being transferred to the UAE for further care.
The emergency occurred aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying 174 passengers. The aircraft supposedly sent emergency signals and rapidly descended from around 34,000 feet.
Reports have identified the co-pilot as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami alleged to have attacked Machchhar with a crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.
Two reserve pilots eventually brought the aircraft safely to Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk. The co-pilot was taken into custody and Machchhar transferred to hospital before arriving in Abu Dhabi.
