Captain Smit Machchhar, who got involved in an alleged ‘cockpit attack’ on 30 September, has recalled how he feared that he and the passengers might die one day. The incident saw the Indian captain allegedly being attacked by his Omani co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami, bringing the plane dangerously close to becoming an aviation disaster.
During an interview with Machchhar, he explained the occasion when he recognised that his life was in danger. For an instant, he felt he was in danger of dying. This is the first interview that has had him meeting English-language media since the incident.
It is said that Machchhar was hit by a crash axe and toppled over on the floor of the cockpit. The plane then descended almost 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, making matters even more perilous for the crew to try and regain control.
Machchhar said his colleague who took over at the helm after the crash had made his job easier, and he believed that the pilot had played a major role in averting a possible disaster.
“It is great what my colleague did to save the day and taking control of things, it’s something I will carry with me till I die.”
Machchhar was hospitalized for weeks after the accident but still didn’t fully understand what occurred in the cockpit. He recalled the pivotal moments and how he would try to get the courage to do what he needed to do for the country despite the threat.
He said in the interview trailer there was a time that he told himself, “Smit, do something. You can’t die like this.”
He also discussed the timeliness of the situation, noting that he knows that there had to be some form of action taken soon to avoid future implications. He stops his thought incomplete as he specifies the moment.
The entire interview will shed more light on Machchhar’s experience and the events leading up to the incident on September 30. The details alleged regarding the co-pilot and exact circumstances of the flight should be separated from facts determined and independently substantiated by investigators.