Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, visits injured FlyDubai captain Sumit Machar, an Indian national, at a hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE. [AP]
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, visits injured FlyDubai captain Sumit Machar, an Indian national, at a hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE. [AP]

The captain of a FlyDubai aircraft — attacked with an emergency axe by his co-pilot in an attempt to crash the plane carrying Israeli passengers — has spoken publicly for the first time about the ordeal.

Sumit Machar, an Indian national, told Sky News Arabia that the one thought that kept him going at the edge of life and death was: "I couldn't die like this." AP and other outlets reported his account Saturday (local time).

According to Machar, the incident began about two hours after Flight FZ1073 departed Dubai for Tel Aviv on Sept. 30.

The co-pilot, who was scheduled to fly the return leg from Tel Aviv, asked an off-duty pilot who was also in the cockpit to leave so he could pray.

"I was checking the time and other things on the computer when I suddenly felt a very powerful blow to the back of my head," Machar said. "Within seconds, I realized the attack was continuing."

The co-pilot, standing behind the captain's seat, struck Machar on the head with an emergency axe. "My vision narrowed to just a few inches in front of me," Machar said. He also suffered serious wounds to his hands while trying to shield his head.

"I kept calling out my colleague's name to get help and struggled desperately to operate the door-release switch right next to my hand," he said. "I remember managing to open the door, but it closed again."

"At that moment, I felt blood pouring from all over my body and my strength draining away," he added. "I was barely holding on to consciousness."

"Shortly after, I noticed the engine noise dying down, and then I felt the aircraft begin to plunge," he said. According to Reuters, the plane dropped 16,000 feet — about 4,900 meters — in just 30 seconds.

Sumit Machar, an Indian national and the FlyDubai captain who prevented the aircraft from crashing. [AP]
Sumit Machar, an Indian national and the FlyDubai captain who prevented the aircraft from crashing. [AP]

It was another pilot who averted the disaster. UAE authorities said the off-duty pilot noticed the cockpit door opening and closing abnormally and forced his way back in.

With the help of a crew member and passengers, he subdued the co-pilot and regained control of the aircraft. The plane made a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Machar called his colleague's actions "worthy of the highest praise," adding, "I will never forget this for the rest of my life."

Authorities said the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot had planned to crash the plane into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, inspired by the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. About 170 passengers and crew members were on board.

In a separate interview with UAE daily The National, Machar said he refused to give up during the attack by thinking of his son and daughter. He also said he hopes to fly again once he recovers from his injuries.


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