Struck in the Back of the Head with an Axe, but Prevented Disaster: "I Couldn't Die Like This"

The captain of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) low-cost carrier Flydubai, who was attacked with a weapon by a co-pilot attempting to crash a passenger plane full of Israeli passengers, has recalled the tense situation in his first media interview.

He confessed that standing at the crossroads of life and death, he persevered driven by the single thought, "I cannot die like this."

Indian national Captain Smit Machar shared his horrific experience in an interview with Sky News Arabia on the 17th, local time.

This marks the first time Captain Machar has spoken to the media since the incident occurred.

In the incident, which took place late last month on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Captain Machar, flight attendants, and passengers are known to have prevented a major disaster through their quick actions.

Bandaged on his head and one hand, Captain Machar gave the interview while lying in a hospital bed in the UAE.

Describing the moment when the co-pilot, standing behind the cockpit, struck the back of his head with an emergency axe, he said, "My vision narrowed so much that I could only see a few inches ahead."

At first, he thought part of the cabin ceiling had fallen, but the attacks continued, and he sustained severe injuries to his hand while defending himself.

Captain Machar recounted that he fought desperately to open the cockpit door so that another off-duty pilot traveling as a passenger could enter the cockpit.

"I kept shouting my colleague's name to ask for help and struggled with all my might to operate the door switch located right next to my hand," he said. "I remember barely opening the door, but it closed again."

He added, "At that moment, I felt blood gushing all over my body and my strength draining away, while barely managing to maintain consciousness."

He went on to testify to the critical moment, stating, "Not long after, the engine noise subsided, and immediately afterward, I felt the aircraft begin to dive steeply."

Fortunately, another fellow pilot managed to enter the cockpit, subdue the rampaging co-pilot, and safely land the aircraft.

Praising his colleague's quick thinking and response in safely landing the plane, Captain Machar said, "It was an action that deserves high praise," adding, "I will never forget this memory for the rest of my life."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.