Meet Joe Thomas Karackattu, who quick-wittedly filmed an emergency

The amateur documentary filmmaker says he tried to make the best use of all the cameras available

Joe Thomas Karackattu knows how arduous journeys can foster human bonds. The assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, who teaches in the humanities and social sciences department, has travelled thousands of kilometres to trace a family genealogy to seven centuries ago. So when he was flying to New York last month to showcase a documentary based on his travels, he once again did what he’s been doing: this time, he instinctively shot a film with his smartphone when a medical emergency caused the plane to make a detour via Iceland.

The Etihad flight (EY 103) from Dubai