Pilot of Flydubai Flight Describes Attack by Co-Pilot

Smit Machchhar, the Indian captain of the Flydubai flight, recounted his experience during a cockpit attack by his co-pilot in a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Machchhar stated that he fought for his life and was determined not to let others die during the incident. He described being on the ground in the cockpit when he realized the plane was descending rapidly and felt compelled to act. 'I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside,' he said. He noted that other crew members also contributed to regaining control of the situation. The flight, which was en route to Tel Aviv from Dubai, descended more than 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) two and a half hours into the journey on Wednesday. Passengers and crew managed to overpower the attacker and safely landed the plane in Tabuk, a city in north-western Saudi Arabia. Machchhar was subsequently taken to a hospital and later airlifted to Abu Dhabi, where he is reported to be in stable condition. He has been recognized as a 'true hero' by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Machchhar, who has 17 years of flying experience, expressed confidence in his recovery, stating, 'I am looking at it as a journey which is slowly going on and will take time but I am confident that the recovery will be there and I will become fit and healthy again.' Modi praised Machchhar's courage and quick decision-making, emphasizing that he saved many lives. The Indian embassy in the UAE confirmed that Machchhar is recovering well, and Ambassador Deepak Mittal expressed pride in the captain's bravery.