Flydubai captain describes being wounded in attack on FZ1073
The captain of a Flydubai flight says he was injured and lying on the floor when he opened the cockpit door from inside after an attack on board. A UAE official has described the assault as a terrorist act.
Captain Smit Machchhar of Flydubai flight FZ1073 has described opening the cockpit door from inside while wounded, saying he was lying on the floor after being attacked during the flight.
Machchhar gave his account in a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a report on the incident. He said he told himself to make one last push to open the door from inside. Others came in and helped control the situation, he said. He was fighting for his own life, he added, but would not let other people die.
The flight made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Footage described in the report shows Machchhar, wounded and bloodied, being carried off the aircraft on a stretcher.
Anwar Gargash, a presidential adviser in the United Arab Emirates, called the crisis a terrorist act and condemned the assault.
Authorities are still investigating the attack. The source gave no further details on casualties or on how the assault was carried out.
Sources
- airlive.netCaptain of Flydubai says he was lying on the floor covered in blood but managed to open cockpit door for help