ABU DHABI — Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar recounted the moments he fought off an attack by his co-pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, saying he could not let passengers die. Recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital, Machchhar made his first public remarks Friday during a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"In that moment, I was fighting for my life," Machchhar told Modi from his hospital bed. "I was doing this for my life, but at the same time, I knew that I couldn't let everybody else die."
During the attack aboard Flight FZ 1073, Machchhar fell to the cockpit floor after suffering severe injuries but remained aware of the aircraft's trajectory. He described realizing the plane was losing altitude while still being beaten. "One last push, Smit! Just do it. The door is right there," he recalled thinking. He then managed to open the cockpit door, allowing several passengers to rush in and restrain his attacker.
Passengers and stand-in pilots regained control of the aircraft, and the plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Dentist Shota Musaev, a passenger on the flight, said Machchhar had suffered "massive blood loss."
Prime Minister Modi praised Machchhar's actions, telling him his "courage, patience and quick thinking saved the lives of so many people." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also commented Wednesday, saying Machchhar's bravery "managed to prevent a 9/11 disaster." Machchhar, a father of two, appeared emotional during his call with Modi, apologizing for crying while recalling the ordeal.
