In a world too often marked by division and self-interest, Capt Smit Machchhar has reminded millions that humanity’s greatest strength lies in its capacity for solidarity and selflessness even in the face of adversity.
The flydubai captain’s actions aboard Flight 1073 on September 30, when he fought to protect his aircraft, passengers and crew, were nothing short of extraordinary. His interview to The National, in which he recounted the ordeal on what was meant to be a routine flight, offers a glimpse of the courage required to act when so many lives hang in the balance.
At about 34,000 feet, and with an hour still go for touchdown, he was struck from behind by a co-pilot he had only met that morning, and who had shown no hint of what prosecutors later called a premeditated terrorist plot. Bleeding heavily and repeatedly losing consciousness, he heard the engines spool down as the Boeing 737 plunged. He somehow found the strength to reach the cabin door and pushed it open. All 172 people on board eventually survived.
What was particularly striking about the interview was Capt Machchhar’s reluctance to take credit for his actions. He was quick to point to everyone else who helped – the cabin crew who treated him, the dentist who held pressure on his wounds for close to an hour, the passengers who subdued the attacker and those who took the controls to ensure a safe landing.
“If I have to say how many people were trying to control the situation, I would say a million,” he said. “I know it doesn’t make sense, but, yeah, I would say a million people were trying to take over control.”
These remarks, as well as accounts from others on the flight, make one thing clear: while Capt Machchhar’s courage was the spark, the rescue was a collective effort. That is a lesson worth absorbing. In the age of atomisation – in which people are increasingly driven by personal goals to the point of being insular and detached – the actions taken by all those on board should give the rest of us a sense that we are all in this together.
Such instances also offer hope and optimism in our capacity to do good, to fight the good fight and to act in the larger interest of humanity. Outstanding as the pilot was on that fateful day, we witness the quieter versions of the same instinct whenever a crisis, such as a natural disaster, strikes. Think of the many times we have seen or heard of neighbours pulling neighbours from rubble, volunteers wading through floodwater, strangers opening their homes, and countries helping countries regardless of their bilateral relations.
During the interview, Capt Machchhar thanked the UAE for his care and the chance to return to his family. He spoke of praying for his children in the darkest moments. Most telling, however, was his insistence that he did not give up during those moments. That refusal to let others die is an important reminder that humanity’s shared fate is not an abstract idea.
There are, of course, practical lessons to be learnt from the September 30 attempted terror attack on Flight 1073 – the captain himself expects a review of aviation security. But it is the human lessons that will – and should – endure for years to come.