By Jelili Gbadamosi
A Dubai-Tel Aviv flight carrying 174 passengers reportedly lost about 17,000 feet in one minute following an alleged confrontation between the pilot and co-pilot.
The incident occurred on Wednesday aboard a Boeing 737 operated by flydubai, prompting an emergency diversion and landing in Saudi Arabia.
The pilot, Smit Machchhar, who suffered serious injuries during the incident, has revealed how he fought to prevent the aircraft from crashing despite his condition.
Machchhar, speaking to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed on Friday, said he became aware that the aircraft was rapidly losing altitude while he was lying injured.
“I was trying to save my own life, but I knew I could not let all those people die,” he said.
The pilot, who has 17 years of aviation experience, including 11 years as a captain, said he had collapsed from his injuries but realised he had to make another effort when he sensed the aircraft descending.
“I had suffered so many injuries that I had collapsed. At that time, I could feel that the aircraft was going down. I knew this was the last push, that the door was right there,” he said.
According to Machchhar, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and assist during the struggle.
Passengers reportedly rushed towards the cockpit after the aircraft suddenly lost altitude and helped prevent the situation from escalating.
Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 recorded an approximately 17,000-foot drop within a minute.
The circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain under investigation. The co-pilot is alleged to have attacked Machchhar, triggering a struggle over control of the aircraft.
Following the incident, the flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia for an emergency landing.
Modi praised Machchhar and the passengers for their actions, saying they helped prevent a major tragedy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also credited the pilot and passengers with helping avert a potential disaster.
