Captain Smit Machar, who averted a major disaster on the flydubai flight on September 30, has described the ordeal. Captain Smit Machar recalled that the co-pilot attacked him several times before opening the cockpit door. In an interview with UAE state newspaper “The National”, Captain Smit Machar said his vision was blurry.
Captain Smit Machar said he managed to open the cockpit door before collapsing. Narrating the incident, Capt. Smit Machar said, “When I first got hit, I felt something big broke in the structure of the plane and it fell on my head. This almost knocked me down from my control column. In the next few seconds, as the blows continued, I realized that it was my co-pilot. The first thing I did was unbuckle my seatbelt. And I tried to block the blows as much as possible because they were falling straight on my head. “After a few hits, I almost lost my vision. I could only see a faint outline of things,” he told The National.
He continued, “Immediately, my hand went to the door knob. And I started calling my colleagues. I think I fainted immediately. I fell face down in the cockpit.” As the plane dropped to 17,000 feet, he said, “The most terrifying thing I heard and felt was the engine cut down.” It may be mentioned that Captain Smith Machar is currently admitted to Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi and is recuperating. Captain Smith Machar said he had no doubts about the co-pilot. “Had I received any advance information on the ground or elsewhere, I would have certainly acted.” The Israeli President has invited Captain Smith and said he will receive our highest civilian gallantry award.