The Indian pilot stabbed by his colleague mid-air has said he “could not let people die” as he described how he fought to open the cockpit door while still being attacked.
Smit Machchhar told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi he had “so many wounds” but managed to avert disaster during Wednesday’s Dubai to Tel Aviv flight.
Mr Machchhar has been hailed a hero after his actions allowed pᴀssengers to enter the cockpit and subdue the co-pilot as the jet plunged thousands of feet.
Speaking in an emotional video call from hospital in Abu Dhabi, he described how he fell to the floor after the stabbing and was “fighting for my life”.
“When I was down, I could feel that the aircraft was plummeting, and I knew this is a last chance to do something. I knew the door was just there,” said Mr Machchhar.
Despite still getting hit by the attacker, he said he managed to open the door and “knew that I could not let people die”.
Mr Modi told the Flydubai captain: “The whole country can proudly say that we Indians are not people who take lives, we are people who save lives.”
He added: “At that time, you did not care for your life, you cared for the lives of all the travellers.”
India‘s embᴀssy in the UAE said Mr Machchhar – who is from Mumbai and has two children – is recovering well.
The co-pilot, believed to be an Omani national, was arrested and Israel‘s prime minister has suggested the incident could have been “another 9/11”.
Benjamin Netanyahu said the pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination” and it appeared “very likely that he was going to down the plane”.
Four pᴀssengers on the flight also recalled the co-pilot saying “kill me” after he was restrained. However, his motive and background has not yet been confirmed.