Indian Prime Minister Modi Praises Pilot Attacked in Cockpit

FlyDubai captain Smit Machchhar recounted the harrowing moments when he was attacked by his co-pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, telling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he knew he had to act to save the passengers aboard the plane. Machchhar spoke with Modi in Hindi in a video call released Friday by the prime minister's office.

Machchhar, who was seriously injured in the attack, said he realized he was not only fighting to save his own life but also the lives of everyone on the plane. "When I was lying on the floor, I could feel that the aircraft was plunging and I said to myself while I was getting beaten, ‘This is the last push, Smit, do it, the door is right there,’" Machchhar said. "Somehow, I opened the door, and everyone came in and everyone else had an equal role in the rescue," he added. "I was trying to save myself, but I also knew that I can’t let anyone die."

The flight plunged thousands of feet during the incident before Machchhar, who has 17 years of flying experience, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene. The plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing. "I was fighting for my life in that moment," Machchhar said. "It was a moment when I thought, because I had fallen on the floor, I was wounded and fell down."

During the call, Modi praised Machchhar for his courage, patience, and presence of mind, stating that the pilot made a split-second decision that saved numerous lives. "You took a decision in a fraction of second and saved the lives of so many people," Modi said. "Today, the whole country can say this with pride: We Indians are not killers, we are life savers."

Modi also commended Machchhar for prioritizing the passengers despite his own serious injuries. "And the biggest thing is you enhanced the honor of 1.4 billion Indians and that is why I am feeling proud from my heart," the prime minister stated.

Machchhar told Modi that the prime minister was his "biggest idol" and expressed pride that Modi had called him. Machchhar has been recovering after receiving initial treatment in Tabuk and being transferred to Abu Dhabi for continued medical care. Modi mentioned that prayers for Machchhar's recovery had been offered in temples and other holy places across India.