- Sonal Machchhar found reassurance after initial devastation, met husband.
- Captain Machchhar’s courage prevented further disaster, praised by PM Modi.
- Omani co-pilot attacked commander mid-flight, prompting emergency landing.
Sonal Machchhar, the wife of Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, has recalled the horrifying moment she learnt about the mid-air attack on her husband aboard a FlyDubai flight bound for Tel Aviv.
Sonal said she was left “very devastated” after hearing about the incident and did not have the immediate “mental capacity” to comprehend how she should react.
“I was very devastated. And I didn’t have the mental capacity (to know) how I should react,” she said in a television interview as per ANI.
She said the presence of friends and family, along with updates from Indian authorities, helped reassure her during the ordeal.
“But as I had my friends and family around me, I was reassured that everything is okay. And very soon, I started getting news that he is stable,” she said in a television interview as per ANI.
‘He Is In The Right Hands’
Sonal was able to meet Machchhar at a hospital in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, which helped ease her concerns about his condition.
“I met him on Thursday, and that gives me reassurance that he is in the right hands—very good care, under the good care of UAE doctors, military doctors,” she said in a television interview as per ANI.
She said her immediate focus was on helping her husband recover and return home.
“And I’m just hoping that he comes back home soon, and I’m going to do everything what it takes for his recovery,” she said in a television interview as per ANI.
‘Smit Is The Right Person’ To Speak To Netanyahu
Asked about reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to speak with Machchhar, Sonal said she believed her husband should speak to him directly once he had recovered sufficiently.
“I will not be able to talk to Mr Netanyahu. I think Smit is the right person; he should answer to Mr Netanyahu,” she said in a television interview as per ANI.
She added that “he will definitely talk to him once he is in the right frame of mind.”
Machchhar Recalls The Moments After Attack
Earlier on Friday, Machchhar spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone and recalled what happened after he collapsed on the floor following the attack.
He said his 17 years of flying experience helped him realise that the aircraft was descending.
“When I was down on the floor, I sensed that the aircraft was going down. And I knew for sure, ‘This is the one last push, Smit. Just do it. The door is right there.’ Even as blows were still landing on me, I just managed to open it, sir. Then everyone else arrived. The others also played an equal role in this,” Machchhar told the Prime Minister.
The Captain said that although he was consciously telling himself that he was acting for his own survival, he knew deep down that he could not allow the passengers to die.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Machchhar’s courage, patience and presence of mind, saying his actions had made the entire country proud.
What Happened On The FlyDubai Flight?
The security crisis occurred on September 30 aboard FlyDubai flight FZ1073, operating from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the commander in an apparent attempt to bring down the aircraft.
The confrontation triggered a steep descent, with the aircraft dropping approximately 16,000 feet within two minutes before a hijacking distress signal was transmitted.
Despite suffering severe injuries, Machchhar resisted the attacker. Flight crew members and passengers then entered the flight deck and helped restrain the assailant, allowing control of the aircraft to be re-established.
The plane subsequently made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all 180 occupants disembarking without injury.
Investigation Underway
Further details about the incident and Machchhar’s actions have emerged as international investigations continue.
According to statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the flight was nearing Israeli airspace when the assault occurred, ANI reported.
Machchhar managed to repel the co-pilot sufficiently to unlatch the cockpit entry, while two non-duty aviators onboard helped assume control of the aircraft for its emergency landing in Tabuk.
The identity of the co-pilot has not been publicly disclosed. An Omani official told a news channel that the assailant was born in Oman and holds Omani citizenship, although Muscat has not formally acknowledged his citizenship publicly.
The arrested co-pilot was transferred to the UAE. Israeli investigative personnel have also been sent to the UAE to join the locally led inquiry and help determine whether outside parties orchestrated the attack.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
