Stories
Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar Hailed as 'Indian Sully' After Heroic Actions in Cockpit Crisis
- •Captain Smit Machchhar, despite being stabbed by his co-pilot, managed to open the cockpit door during a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
- •The Boeing 737 experienced a steep descent, losing nearly 14,000 feet in 30 seconds, after the attack.
- •Machchhar's actions allowed passengers and crew to intervene, overpower the attacker, and enable relief pilots to stabilize the aircraft.
- •The plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all passengers and crew surviving.
- •Social media users and experts are drawing parallels between Machchhar's courage and that of Chesley –Sully– Sullenberger, who famously landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River.
Key Questions Answered
Captain Smit Machchhar was reportedly stabbed by his co-pilot inside the cockpit, causing the Boeing 737 to plunge nearly 14,000 feet in about 30 seconds. Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door so passengers and crew could overpower the attacker, allowing relief pilots to stabilize the plane and make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Social media users and aviation experts like John Spencer began calling Machchhar the "Indian version of Sully" due to his extraordinary courage and quick thinking during a life-threatening cockpit crisis. While Sullenberger famously landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after a bird strike, Machchhar fought off an onboard attack and opened the cockpit door while severely injured to save everyone on board.
Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, after Canada geese disabled both engines shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport. All 155 people on board survived the dramatic water ditching and were safely rescued.
