- Indian pilot prevented flydubai crash, recalling past heroism.
- Neerja Bhanot saved over 350 passengers in 1986 hijacking.
- Bhanot alerted crew, hid passports, helped escape, awarded Ashoka Chakra.
flydubai scare: A day after an Indian national pilot at flydubai flying to Israel made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia and rescued 174 passengers, most of them Israelis, following an alleged attempt by an Omani co-pilot to crash the aircraft, the incident has revived memories of another Indian national who saved hundreds of passengers during a hijacking in Pakistan nearly four decades ago.
The Indian captain identified as Captain Smit Machchhar reportedly fought with the omani co-pilot to prevent the crash, while Israeli passengers later helped subdue him.
Similarly, in 1986, Chandigarh-born flight attendant Neerja Bhanot became a symbol of courage after helping passengers escape from the hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi before she was fatally shot by the hijackers. She saved over 350 passengers.
What happened in 1986?
On September 5, 1986, 23-year-old Neerja Bhanot was serving as a flight attendant aboard Pan Am Flight 73, which was flying from Mumbai to New York via Frankfurt and had landed in Karachi for a stopover. The aircraft was carrying 379 passengers and crew when four armed members of the Palestinian Abu Nidal terrorist organisation, disguised as airport security personnel, entered the plane.
Neerja was among the first to realise what was happening and alerted the cockpit crew, allowing the pilots to escape and preventing the hijackers from taking the aircraft airborne.
The hijackers then ordered the crew to collect passengers’ passports so they could identify American citizens. Neerja and other crew members hid the US passports. After discovering this, the hijackers shot an Indian-American passenger at the aircraft’s doorway and rolled his body onto the tarmac.
The 17-hour standoff ended in gunfire after the hijackers opened fire on passengers. Neerja opened an emergency exit and helped passengers escape through the evacuation chute. Despite having the opportunity to flee herself, she stayed behind to help others and was fatally shot by the hijackers.
Two of the hijackers were killed, while the other two were captured by Pakistani authorities. More than 350 passengers survived the attack, while around 20 people were killed.
Later, Neerja was awarded with the Ashoka Chakra which is India’s highest peacetime gallantry award. In 2006, the US Department of Justice also honoured her with its Special Courage Award.