An Indian pilot who was allegedly attacked by his co-pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has recounted how he battled through his injuries to prevent the aircraft from crashing.
Smit Machchhar, the captain of the flydubai Boeing 737, said he knew the aircraft was descending dangerously while he lay injured following the confrontation.
Speaking to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a telephone call from his hospital bed on Friday, Machchhar said his concern shifted from his own safety to that of the passengers.
“I was trying to save my own life, but I knew I could not let all those people die,” he said in a video shared by Modi on social media.
The flight was carrying 174 passengers when the incident occurred on Wednesday.
Machchhar, who has 17 years of aviation experience, including 11 years as a captain, said his injuries left him unable to remain on his feet but that he could still sense the aircraft was losing altitude.
“I had suffered so many injuries that I had collapsed. At that time, I could feel that the aircraft was going down,” he said.
He said he realised that he had one final opportunity to prevent a disaster.
“I knew this was the last push, that the door was right there,” he said.
According to Machchhar, he managed to open the cockpit door despite still being attacked, allowing passengers to enter and assist.
“I was being hit even then, but I just opened the door and everyone came in,” he said.
The circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain under investigation. The co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar, triggering a struggle for control of the aircraft.
Passengers reportedly rushed towards the cockpit after noticing the aircraft's sudden descent. Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 reported that the plane lost approximately 17,000 feet in altitude within one minute.
The passengers intervened as the struggle unfolded and the aircraft was eventually diverted to Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing.
Modi praised Machchhar's actions, saying they helped avert what could have been a major tragedy and saved hundreds of lives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also commended the captain and passengers for their role in preventing a potential disaster.
Investigators are continuing to examine the events that led to the cockpit confrontation, the alleged assault on Machchhar and the subsequent emergency landing.
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