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An Indian airline captain who was stabbed during a flight bound for Israel has described how he crawled across the cockpit floor, bleeding and under attack, to unlock the door so that passengers could help stop the aircraft from plunging out of the sky.
Capt Smit Machchhar recounted the ordeal during a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to an account of the conversation that has circulated widely in Indian media. He said he was still on the ground and being assaulted by his co-pilot when he noticed the plane was going down and felt he had no choice but 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, describing the moment he managed to prise open the cockpit door. Once the door was open, other people rushed in and helped bring the situation under control, he added.
The captain also spoke about his motivation amid the chaos. "I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die," he said, explaining that the thought of the passengers behind him drove him to keep moving despite his injuries.
The incident took place on Wednesday, about two hours into a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to the source account, one of the pilots attacked the other, forcing the aircraft to divert to Saudi Arabia as the crew and passengers struggled for control of the flight deck.
During the struggle, the plane lost more than 17,000ft (5,200m) in altitude before passengers and crew managed to overpower the attacker and regain control of the aircraft, allowing it to land safely. The sudden loss of height would have been terrifying for those on board, and the recovery of the plane depended on a rapid collective effort.
Modi, in his call with the captain, praised his conduct in the strongest terms. The prime minister told Machchhar that "his courage, patience and quick decision-making saved the lives of so many people", and said the entire country was proud of him. The conversation was widely shared, turning the injured pilot into a national figure within hours.
The captain has also drawn praise from outside India. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed him as a "true hero", a label that has since been repeated by commentators and officials in several countries. The flight's destination, Tel Aviv, and its diversion to Saudi Arabia have added a diplomatic dimension to a story that began as a mid-air emergency.
After the aircraft landed, Machchhar was initially taken to a hospital in Tabuk, a city in north-western Saudi Arabia, where he received emergency treatment. He was later airlifted to Abu Dhabi, where he is reported to be in a stable condition.
The Indian embassy in the United Arab Emirates said on Thursday that Machchhar was "in good health and recovering well". Ambassador Deepak Mittal said he was "proud of Capt Smit for his bravery" and "very reassured" to meet him, according to the source account.
Speaking about his recovery, the captain struck a determined tone. He said he was choosing not to dwell on the severity of his injuries, explaining: "I am not looking at this wound like a wound because that would make my recovery even more difficult."
Instead, he described his recuperation as a process that would take time. "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," he said.
The episode has focused attention on how quickly a routine commercial flight can turn into an emergency, and on the procedures that allow flight crews to respond. Opening a cockpit door in flight normally runs against strict security protocols designed to keep the flight deck sealed, which makes the captain's decision to do so a striking element of the story.
Aviation safety specialists have long emphasised that the most important asset in any in-flight crisis is the ability of the crew to retain or regain control of the aircraft. In this case, the source account suggests that the combination of the captain's actions and the intervention of people in the cabin was decisive in preventing a far worse outcome.
The investigation into how the attack unfolded is expected to examine the sequence of events in the cockpit, the rapid loss of altitude, and the response of the crew and passengers. Authorities in multiple countries are likely to take an interest, given the international nature of the flight and the diversion to Saudi Arabia.
For now, attention remains on the injured captain and the accounts emerging from his hospital bed. His remarks to Modi and to diplomats have painted a picture of a man who, despite being wounded, focused on the safety of those he was responsible for carrying.
The story has also resonated well beyond India. With a global audience following the details of the attack and the safe landing, Machchhar's words have become the most quoted part of the incident. The airline, the governments involved and the passengers who helped subdue the attacker all remain part of a narrative that continues to develop as the captain recovers in Abu Dhabi.
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