US President Donald Trump called Indian Flydubai captain Smit Machhar a "hero." According to Trump, Machhar was attacked with a knife by an Omani co-pilot on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
US President Donald Trump praised Captain Smith Machhar.
US President Donald Trump has praised the bravery of Smit Machhar, the Indian captain of a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Machhar was allegedly attacked with a knife by his co-pilot. Trump said that the Indian pilot was in very critical condition, but despite this, he helped prevent the plane from crashing. Trump also called Captain Machhar a "hero."
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said he received information about the incident from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, Trump clarified that he had not independently confirmed the details of the incident and was reporting only what he learned from Netanyahu and some initial sources.
The cockpit door remained open even after the knife attack.
According to Trump, the Omani co-pilot attacked Captain Machhar with a knife. Afterward, the seriously injured Machhar managed to open the cockpit door and called for help. Trump said the pilot was in critical condition at the time, but he showed prudence and made way for help to arrive.
Trump said Macher played a key role in trying to prevent the plane from crashing. He described his condition as extremely serious, saying his composure and reaction were extraordinary.
A passenger with no flying experience took charge
Trump said that an Israeli passenger then entered the cockpit and allegedly pulled the co-pilot from his seat, throwing him backward. Other passengers came to his aid and subdued the co-pilot.
According to Trump, the passenger was a plumber by profession and had no experience flying. Despite this, he managed to get into the cockpit and help manage the situation. Trump described the passenger's intervention as "amazing."
I learned about flying by watching 'Air Disasters'
Trump said the passenger later said he learned some of the basics of flying by watching the TV program "Air Disasters." According to Trump, the passenger explained that he watched the program a lot and had learned some of his flying skills from it.
However, Trump also said he could not independently confirm these details. He clarified that this was the story he received from Netanyahu and some initial sources.
Other pilots sitting behind took control of the plane.
According to Trump, some other pilots and security personnel in the rear of the plane later reached the cockpit and took control. The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia and made an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Tabuk.
Trump described the entire incident as extremely extraordinary and said that, according to him, it was one of the most surprising incidents.
