The 1986 hijack: Remembering Neerja Bhanot as the world hails Smit Machchhar
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "The 1986 hijack: Remembering Neerja Bhanot as the world hails Smit Machchhar")
Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar
The world has witnessed a heroic act by Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, but this is not the first such defining moment in aviation history. In 1986, flight attendant Neerja Bhanot sacrificed her own life while helping passengers escape during the hijacking of flight in Karachi.
Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar performed a heroic act aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073 on Wednesday (Oct 1) from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The shocking incident unfolded inside the cockpit when an altercation broke out between the two pilots, during which Captain Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot, whose identity has not been revealed. During the struggle, the flight plunged mid-air, putting the lives of 174 people at stake.
Despite being seriously injured, Machchhar opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and regain control of the aircraft. With quick action, the flight was landed safely. As the incident came to light, the world hailed the Indian pilot’s bravery.
This heroic act reminds the world of another Indian who also saved the lives of over 300 passengers: Chandigarh-born flight attendant Neerja Bhanot.
Story of Neerja - 22-year-old flight purser who saved the lives of 300 passengers
On Sept 5, 1986, Bhanot boarded Pan Am Flight 73 as senior flight purser, with 380 passengers and crew on board. It was scheduled to fly from Mumbai to New York via Karachi and Frankfurt. But the flight was hijacked on the ground at Karachi airport by four Palestinian militants of the Abu Nidal Organisation when the flight was on a regular stopover. Though everyone was shocked to see the four armed men in the aircraft, it was Neerja who mindfully alerted the cockpit crew by using the hijack code, allowing the pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer to escape, and this prevented the plane from flying.
Not only that, but she also hid the passports of American passengers, who were the hijackers' biggest target. The flight was held hostage for 17 hours, and the crew managed to keep the situation calm as the negotiation was held outside. She also asked the hijackers to let the passengers use the washroom and drink water.
However, the hijackers opened fire as the Pakistani army took action. During this tense situation, Bhanot opened an emergency exit and helped passengers escape, putting her own life aside. It has been said that she died after being fatally shot while she was shielding three children from gunfire. In this hijacking, at least 20 people lost their lives, and more than 100 were injured.
For her bravery, Banot, 22, became the youngest recipient of India’s Ashoka Chakra. She also received Pakistan’s Tamgha-e-Insaniyat and the US Justice Department’s Special Courage Award.
Neerja's life and bravery were brought to the big screen in 2016. Directed by Ram Madhvani, the biopic tells the story of Neerja and how she saved the lives of the passengers with her brave act. She died two days before she would have turned 23. The movie is streaming on Netflix.
