Captain Smit Machchhar recounts cockpit attack and recovery in call with PM Modi

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. “I have been flying planes for 17 years, I have been a captain for the last 11 years, and I know what is happening in an aircraft even with my eyes closed... I was being attacked, but I made a last push and opened the door,” he said, praising those who rushed into the cockpit and seized the violent co-pilot. Raw emotions took over him for a while as Machchhar spoke to Modi about those dramatic moments and called him his idol. The PM responded that his courage had made Smit a global hero, with people worldwide offering prayers for his good health, and shown that Indians save lives rather than take them. “You have boosted the prestige of 140 crore Indians,” Modi said, adding: “You saved everyone. You’ve done a very great job. ” Modi also thanked govts of Saudi Arabia and UAE for caring for Machchhar. Referring to social media reactions, he said people wondered what India and its pilots might have suffered without Machchhar’s intervention. Some online posts suggested that if the Omani co-pilot had succeeded, uncertainty over responsibility could have fuelled dark speculation and doubts about the Indian pilot. “Today is Gandhi Jayanti. You have shown the world what the true meaning of ‘ahimsa’ is,” Modi said. He later posted the call online with the message: “An unforgettable conversation with Captain Smit, filled with pride and emotions.”

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Machchhar said the call lifted his morale: “Receiving a call from you makes me feel so proud. Now I feel proud of myself too. I did not have this feeling so far. I am sorry I am crying in front of you.” When Machchhar said he had never imagined speaking to Modi, the PM replied that his deed had made people worldwide eager to see and speak to him. Modi briefly spoke to him in Gujarati and said the country was eager to greet him after his recovery. Machchhar said work may keep him outside India but not away from its culture. He performs puja each morning and recites Hanuman Chalisa with his two-yearold son on his lap. Modi praised his family’s values and his parents’ composure