The family of Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian flydubai pilot who heroically thwarted a mid-air attack by his co-pilot on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, expressed great pride and gratitude on Saturday for the outpouring of support, reassuring the public that Machchhar is receiving top-quality medical care.
Speaking to ANI, Machchhar’s father-in-law, Jaysukh Jogi, shared that prominent leaders and citizens alike have reached out to salute the captain’s extraordinary bravery. “We are very happy that the entire nation is with us. The top leaders of the country are with us, and even global leaders are standing with us. Everyone is feeling proud of Smit’s bravery. Leaders from all over have praised and saluted him. They are also saluting us, acknowledging that a member of our family has performed such a monumental and brave deed. We are extremely proud of him,” he said.
He noted that Machchhar is receiving “best possible treatment, though it will take some time for him to recover. Most of his injuries are on his head and hands. When he was trying to open the door, he was being hit, which is why he suffered injuries on his hands and head in several places. He sustained injuries in multiple spots, so it will take some time to recover,” he added.
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Ankit Jogi, Machchhar’s brother-in-law, expressed that the family is relieved to learn that the pilot was stable and doing well after the flydubai incident and is now eagerly awaiting his return to India, praising his adherence to protocols and safe handling of the situation.
Speaking to ANI, Ankit said the family learnt about the incident through news notifications and later received further details from his sister in Dubai.
“We only found out about the incident from the news. When we spoke to my sister in Dubai, we learned the full details, and more information kept coming in as things unfolded. We were reassured and felt very relieved when we learned that he was stable and doing well,” Jogi said.
Recalling Captain Machchhar’s approach to his work, Jogi said he had always prioritised his duties and strictly adhered to protocols. Jogi said the family was now waiting for Captain Machchhar to return to India.
“The whole country is waiting for his return so that we can hold a ceremony and give him a grand welcome, the kind that makes it feel like a hero has returned to his homeland,” he told ANI.
“We are incredibly proud of what he has accomplished. He had a very narrow window, a very short timeframe, yet he achieved what he did. I would say that perhaps no one else could have pulled off what he managed to do”.
Calling Captain Machchhar’s actions an example for others, Jogi said he hoped young pilots would draw inspiration from the incident and continue to follow proper protocols.
Kishore Machchhar, uncle of the pilot, expressed that after seeing Machchhar on television on Friday during an interaction with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the family is now relieved. “I feel so proud. Love is being poured from everywhere. Even those who didn’t know us before are greeting us respectfully! Most of all, we felt relieved seeing him on television yesterday and knowing that he is okay. May he come home as soon as possible.
“We were very stressed because he was in another country…then we got to know that he is receiving treatment at the hospital. Yesterday, when he spoke to the Indian Prime Minister and we saw him, we took a breath,” he said.
“Machchhar is a simple man, focused on his work. He is also very religious,” he noted.
Sonal Machchhar, aunt of Smit Machchhar, also echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “He was a very calm child. He has been a very good kid and now has shown great bravery. We felt relieved after seeing him speaking to PM Modi. We saw in the video that he is very injured, but he will be fine.”
The remarks came after the incident, involving flydubai flight FZ1073 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where Machchhar was injured after being attacked by his co-pilot. Despite his injuries, he managed to reach the cockpit door and helped ensure the safe landing of the aircraft.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has announced the ‘Visisht Gujarat Garima Award’ for Machchhar, hailing his courage and presence of mind during the incident. Earlier, the Indian PM had praised Machchhar for his “patience, presence of mind, and courage”.
Source: Khaleej Times
