Part 5/8:
At this point, the severity of the fire escalated, rendering the pilots’ situation increasingly dire. Despite the smoke and chaos, First Officer Bell worked through the checklists, focusing on maintaining control and preparing for an emergency landing. However, the technological challenges mounted. The autopilot, while initially functional, soon became unreliable as systems failed, and the aircraft continued to fade further from control.
The pilots' attempts to contact Air Traffic Control were stymied by communication breakdowns due to their position relative to Bahrain, the nearest control facility. With heavy reliance on relayed communication from other flights, every moment felt like precious time lost.