- US lawmaker introduces House resolution honoring Indian pilot Smit Machchhar
- Machchhar foiled an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash the plane
- Despite serious injuries, he opened the cockpit door so passengers could stop the attacker
- Resolution condemns the attack as terrorism and seeks a full investigation
US REP. Josh Gottheimer has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives honoring Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for his courage in protecting every passenger aboard flydubai Flight 1073.
Machchhar foiled an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash the plane, which was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers last Wednesday.
The resolution, introduced Monday by the New Jersey Democrat, also commends the off-duty pilots, cabin crew and passengers who secured the flight deck and brought the aircraft down safely.
30 seconds that turned Captain Smit Machchhar into a hero
It condemns the attack as an act of terrorism and an attack on the safety of international civil aviation. It also calls on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to carry out a full and swift investigation, and to keep the United States and Israel fully informed.
What happened on board
The co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar in the cockpit with a crash axe, an emergency tool typically kept on the flight deck, leaving him seriously injured.
The plane sent emergency signals and descended rapidly, dropping more than 17,000 feet from its cruising altitude of 34,000 feet.
Lying injured on the cockpit floor, Machchhar realized the aircraft was descending and managed to push open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to overpower the attacker.
Two reserve pilots then landed the plane safely at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The co-pilot was taken into custody, and Machchhar was taken to a nearby hospital before being airlifted to Abu Dhabi.
Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar Recalls Flydubai Cockpit Attack
Co-pilot identified in reports
Multiple news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and CNN, have identified the co-pilot as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani citizen.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the reports said he had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his radical ideological views.
(With inputs from agencies)
