Hero FlyDubai Pilot Recalls Plane Plunge After Copilot Attack

Capt. Smit Machchhar, the FlyDubai pilot who forced open the cockpit door after being stabbed by his copilot during a midair attack, told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he was fighting to stay alive when he made the split-second decision.

“You are my biggest idol, and I feel incredibly proud that you called and encouraged me. At that moment, I was fighting for my life,” Machchhar told Modi during a phone conversation on Friday.

Machchhar said he had fallen to the cockpit floor and realized the aircraft was rapidly losing altitude. Drawing on 17 years of experience as a pilot and 11 years as a captain, he understood what was unfolding even while seriously injured.

“As I lay there, I could feel the aircraft plunging. While I was being beaten, I told myself, ‘This is the last push, Smit. Do it. The door is right there,’” he recalled. “Somehow, I managed to open it. Everyone rushed in, and each person played an equally important role in the rescue. I was trying to save myself, but I also knew I could not allow anyone else to die.”

Opening the cockpit door gave Israeli passengers the opportunity to enter, restrain the copilot and help regain control of the FlyDubai aircraft. The plane had dropped more than 14,000 feet in roughly 30 seconds.

Machchhar’s actions have drawn widespread praise, including from Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and passengers aboard the flight. Reflecting on the ordeal, the pilot said his faith helped him endure the pain and fear.

“Whenever I am in pain, I know one thing: I chant the Hanuman Chalisa. I believe God saved me,” Machchhar said.

Modi told the injured pilot that people across India had been praying for his recovery.

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“Yesterday, prayers and chants were offered in temples and holy places across the country for your long life. We are all praying for your health, and you will recover very soon. India is eagerly waiting to welcome you,” Modi said.

“People are chanting mantras for you. Your courage, patience and presence of mind allowed you to make a decision in a fraction of a second and save so many lives,” Modi said. “Today, the entire country can say with pride that we Indians are not killers; we are life savers. Even after suffering so many injuries, while fighting for your own life, you continued to think about the passengers. You have brought honor to 1.4 billion Indians, and that is why I feel proud from the heart.”

Machchhar suffered a stab wound to the head, while his arm was “basically split in two” during the attack, Netanyahu said in a Thursday interview with Fox News. Despite the severity of his injuries, the pilot said he remains optimistic about making a full recovery.

“I am not viewing these injuries as ordinary wounds because that could affect my recovery,” Machchhar told Modi. “I see them as part of a journey that will move forward gradually and take time. I am very confident that I will recover and become completely healthy again.”

The aircraft was safely brought down in Saudi Arabia by a second flight crew traveling on board. After being stabilized there, Machchhar was transported to a hospital in the United Arab Emirates, where he continues to recover.

“I am fine, and everything is all right,” Machchhar assured Modi.