‘Very deep cuts to his head’: Dentist recalls crucial 45 minutes that helped save flydubai hero Captain Smit Machchhar

File photo: Captain Smit Machchhar and Dr Shota Musaev

An Israel-based dentist who was among the passengers on flydubai Flight FZ1073 has recalled the frantic 45-minute effort to save Captain Smit Machchhar after he was attacked in the cockpit during the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.Dr Shota Musaev to ABC News that he rushed towards the cockpit after hearing screams and found Machchhar seriously injured and bleeding.Musaev said Machchhar had deep cuts to his head and left hand. He used T-shirts to press against the wounds and asked cabin crew for ice.“He had very, very deep cuts and we needed many ice packets,” Musaev told The National.“But every time I opened the T-shirt to check the bleeding, it would bleed more. So I pressed not very hard and with ice. All through the 45 minutes I kept the pressure on.”Musaev also tried to keep the injured captain conscious, telling him, “Please don’t sleep, we need you,” asking how many children he had and their names, and repeating, “Don’t be afraid, you will go back to your family, we are landing soon.” Machchhar told Musaev he wanted to live and complained of severe pain. “Please help me. My God is with me. I want to live. I don’t want to die here,” he said.At one point, Machchhar’s pulse dropped sharply. Musaev raised his feet and said his pulse recovered. When the captain’s lips turned blue, Musaev told a steward, “We need to land quickly. He doesn’t have much more time.”He said he decided against giving Machchhar painkillers because of the heavy bleeding. “He was lying on his back and I hesitated to lift him because I didn’t want re-bleeding,” Musaev said. “It was dangerous to move him or give him medicines.”

Passengers turned rescuers

Musaev was among the passengers who helped restrain the co-pilot after the attack, telling Ynet, “There were a few brave people there. We took control of the attacker and tied him up. Of course it was difficult, but we managed.” The passengers used headphone cables to restrain his hands and legs as he continued struggling.“I came to fight the attacker when I heard the screams. I didn’t come to provide medical treatment, but after we tied him up, I treated the stabbed pilot,” Musaev said. Two standby pilots then entered the cockpit with a passenger to help steady the aircraft, while other passengers remained alert in case there were further threats.“We were at the plane exit, in front of the cockpit, and every time we scanned the area, we were worried there may be more terrorists on the plane,” Musaev said. A group of passengers continued watching the cabin until the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia.Passengers initially feared the aircraft was crashing after it rapidly lost altitude. “We thought we were going to die, 100%,” Musaev told Ynet. “The plane lost an insane amount of altitude in half a minute.” He added, “We saw the pilots and started screaming, ‘Bring the pilots.’ Then when one of them went into the cockpit and took control, we understood that we had survived.”The aircraft diverted to Tabuk, where Machchhar was handed over to doctors.Musaev later learnt that the captain had survived and was out of danger, recalling that he told Machchhar, “Good luck my friend. Everything will be good.” He added, “Smit saved our lives. Smit is a hero and I thank him for everything he did to save my family, all the passengers,” before calling it karma: “He saved our lives and we saved his life.”

What happened on FZ1073

Flight FZ1073 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 with 174 passengers and crew on board when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a crash axe.UAE attorney general Hamad Al Shamsi has described the incident as an “attempted terrorist attack”. Authorities said the co-pilot tried to take control of the aircraft after attacking the captain.Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene.The Boeing 737 MAX 8 landed safely in Tabuk. Machchhar was treated in Saudi Arabia before being transferred to the UAE, where he is recovering.