Co-pilot stabbed during Flydubai flight describes lifesaving moment he opened cockpit door

Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar recounted the moments he fought to escape the cockpit after being stabbed, in his first public comments since the attempted hijacking on the Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.“I was lying on the floor injured, but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside,” Machchhar said during a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The attack occurred Wednesday, roughly two hours into a Flydubai flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv, Israel. Machchhar said his co-pilot attacked him and attempted to crash the Boeing 737, which was carrying 174 people. The aircraft rapidly lost altitude, dropping from about 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in roughly a minute, before other members of the Flydubai crew intervened and helped stabilize the plane. “I was, of course, fighting for my own life, but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die,” Machchhar said. “Others came in and also played a role [in controlling the situation].”The plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.Machchhar said he is focusing on his recovery rather than dwelling on his injuries. This undated photo released on Israel’s Foreign Ministry social media shows Indian Capt. Smit Machchhar in the cockpit of a plane in an unknown location. Machchhar was at the controls of a FlyDubai flight that was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia for an emergency landing on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (Israel’s Foreign Ministry via AP) “I am not looking at this wound like a wound because that would make my recovery even more difficult,” he said. “I am looking at it as a journey, which is slowly going on and will take time, but I am confident that the recovery will be there and I will become fit and healthy again.”The circumstances surrounding the attack remain under investigation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect was an Omani national who may have undergone Islamist radicalization. Netanyahu also said the suspect called for authorities to “kill” him after he was restrained, which he characterized as evidence that the man intended to die in a suicide attack.The UAE is investigating to determine “whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose.”The pilot has drawn praise from Indian and Israeli leaders, who credited Machchhar with helping prevent a potentially catastrophic crash.Modi called Machchhar’s actions an example of “the highest form of courage,” saying he fought to protect the other people aboard the aircraft despite being seriously injured.“Without fearing for his own life, he fought valiantly and prevented another 9/11 like attack from happening,” Modi said. “140 crore Indians salute Captain Smit and are praying for his well-being.”Netanyahu also praised Machchhar, saying the pilot’s actions helped prevent a “catastrophic mid-air disaster.”“My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery,” Netanyahu said. “Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker.”“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu added.Saudi Arabia, Israel, and UAE work together on investigation into Flydubai suspect: What to knowIndian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal also visited Machchhar and his family at the hospital, saying he was “very reassured” after meeting with the captain and thanking the UAE government for its support and the medical care he is receiving.Investigators in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Israel are working to establish the full circumstances of the attack, including the suspect’s motive and how the weapon used in the stabbing was obtained.