‘I was not going to let others die’: Flydubai pilot recounts cockpit attack

The Indian pilot of a Flydubai flight who was stabbed by his co-pilot spoke publicly for the first time on Friday about the attack, saying he was determined not to let the passengers and crew die as the aircraft rapidly lost altitude.

Capt. Smit Machchhar said he was lying injured on the floor and still being attacked when he realized the plane was descending and made a final effort to open the cockpit door.

“When I fell, I could tell the plane was going down. I told myself to give it one last push to open the door from inside,” Machchhar said during a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I was still getting injured. But I managed to open the door and the others came in, and they also played a big role,” he said.

“I was of course trying to protect myself but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die,” he added.

Machchhar said his 17 years of flying experience, including 11 as a captain, helped him understand what was happening to the aircraft.

“I can tell what is happening to the plane even with my eyes closed,” he said.

Flydubai flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers early Wednesday when an altercation broke out in the cockpit.

The aircraft plunged more than 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) two-and-a-half hours into the flight before diverting to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Flydubai said an “altercation occurred in the flight deck” and that crew members secured the aircraft before it landed safely.

The captain and first officer were taken to hospital with injuries, while all passengers and crew members were reported safe.

Modi praised Machchhar’s “courage, patience and quick decision-making,” saying his actions saved many lives.