Cockpit Fight
‘Crash axe’ blow fractured Smit Machchhar’s skull: Shocking details emerge from flydubai cockpit horror
Abu Dhabi/IBNS: India's 'hero' pilot Smit Machchhar suffered a skull fracture after being struck by his co-pilot, who had allegedly attempted to crash the Tel Aviv-bound flydubai plane last week, NDTV reported.
Machchhar suffered depressed skull fracture
The report, citing sources, said Machchhar suffered a "depressed fracture", in which a fragment of the skull is pushed inward, after he was allegedly hit with a crash axe during the cockpit struggle.
The injury occurred during the mid-air confrontation inside the cockpit as Machchhar reportedly fought to prevent the co-pilot from taking control of the aircraft.
Emergency surgery in Saudi Arabia
Machchhar underwent emergency treatment in Saudi Arabia, where doctors reportedly reconstructed his skull before he was flown to the UAE.
A depressed skull fracture can be serious as the fractured bone may press against or injure the brain.
He was admitted to a military hospital in Saudi Arabia, where he is being monitored by specialised doctors.
Pilot responding to treatment
According to the report, Machchhar is responding to treatment.
The Indian pilot has been hailed as a hero for preventing a potential disaster after the co-pilot allegedly attempted to take control of the aircraft during the flight.
What is a cockpit crash axe?
A crash axe is mandatory equipment on commercial passenger aircraft under aviation safety regulations and is kept inside the cockpit for use during emergencies.
The tool can be used by crew members to cut through materials or access parts of the aircraft in an emergency.
Crash axes were historically stored in different locations on aircraft, including the cabin. Following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States, aviation security measures were significantly tightened, and crash axes were subsequently kept in secured cockpit locations to prevent unauthorised access.
The latest revelation has added another detail to the investigation into the alleged cockpit attack aboard the flydubai flight.
What happened aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073?
The incident took place on September 30 aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Indian Captain Smit Machchhar was allegedly attacked by his Omani co-pilot inside the cockpit during the flight.
Machchhar sustained serious injuries in the alleged attack but managed to retain control of the aircraft. He was later evacuated for medical treatment as authorities began investigating the incident.
According to reports, the aircraft had nearly 180 people on board when the alleged attack took place.
Machchhar later spoke about the ordeal, including his efforts to prevent the aircraft from being brought down.
He told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he recited the Hanuman Chalisa during the cockpit struggle as he sought courage to deal with the situation.
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