Indian pilot says he opened cockpit door during attack to stop plane’s descent

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar said he opened the cockpit door of an Israel-bound “Flydubai” plane while under attack from his co-pilot, after realising the aircraft was rapidly descending. The flight, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Saudi Arabia, the BBC reported.

Speaking to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a video call, Machchhar said he was on the floor, injured and still being attacked when he decided to try to open the door from inside. “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.

Other people entered the cockpit and helped control the situation, Machchhar said. He added that although he was fighting for his own life, he knew he could not let the other passengers die. Modi praised the captain’s courage, patience and quick decision-making, saying they had saved many lives and that the country was proud of him.

Machchhar was first taken to a hospital in Tabuk, north-western Saudi Arabia, and was later airlifted to Abu Dhabi. The Indian embassy in the UAE said on Thursday that he was in good health and recovering well. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also hailed him as a “true hero”.