Flydubai pilot recounts cockpit attack and rescue by passengers

The pilot also recalled trying to open the cockpit door once, but said the co-pilot shut it again. He later found himself lying on the cockpit floor as he heard the aircraft moving rapidly and passengers screaming.

Flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu where he described the incidents that unfolded inside the cockpit. He also described how he managed to open the cockpit door despite suffering repeated blows to his head. Netanyahu praised his courage and said he had "saved so many souls". Machchhar told Netanyahu that the flight had initially been normal. The co-pilot then wanted to play a game that he said many locals play. While Machchhar was looking towards the front of the aircraft, he suddenly felt a heavy blow to the back of his head. Machchhar also told Netanyahu that the co-pilot had wanted to pray before the attack. He said he looked towards the front of the cockpit out of respect while the co-pilot prayed. "...while he was praying, out of respect, I was just looking at the front and not at the back, and suddenly, after, I would say about four-five minutes, there was a big blow to the back of my head. "My first thought was that there was a catastrophic damage to the aircraft and something is not right," Machchhar said. He said the blows continued and he soon realised that the aircraft had not been damaged. Instead, the co-pilot was attacking him. "And that's when I realised that it's not the aircraft, it's the other guy who was in the cockpit with me," he said. Machchhar said the initial blows left his vision severely blurred, making it difficult for him to understand what was happening. He then felt the aircraft sharply descending. "My memory is still in bits and pieces right now," he told Netanyahu. The pilot also recalled trying to open the cockpit door once, but said the co-pilot shut it again. He later found himself lying on the cockpit floor as he heard the aircraft moving rapidly and passengers screaming. Machchhar said he then realised he had to make one final attempt to reach the door. "And as I was telling the ambassador here, that I had that one last fight left in me that, you know, call it personal or call it for people," he said. "But let's say I did it that if I don't do it, I'm going to die." He said he pushed himself towards the door and managed to open it. Crew members and others outside then took control of the situation. "And thankfully people were waiting to bounce back, took over the control and the rest is what you know, sir," Machchhar said.

'There is no pin'

Netanyahu asked Machchhar how he had managed to open the cockpit door when the co-pilot was preventing access. Machchhar explained that the door has a twist mechanism on the inside and can normally be opened from outside only using a code. His colleagues outside the cockpit were trying to enter the code, but the attacker was preventing the door from being opened. "The only way to open the door was to reach the knob and like any other knob, just to twist it open and it opens on its own," Machchhar said. "There is no pin, but yes, the door, it was, it was a short, quick twist, but the point was to reach to that point, to reach to that place." Once he reached the knob, Machchhar said he was able to twist it open.

Netanyahu invites Machchhar to Israel

Netanyahu repeatedly praised Machchhar during the conversation, calling him a hero of India, Israel and the world. "I, frankly, I'm amazed at your courage, at your coolness of judgement under impossible conditions," Netanyahu said. He said Machchhar's actions had helped save lives and described the incident as an example of how courage could overcome violence. "You're a hero of Israel. You're a hero of India. You're a hero of the entire world," Netanyahu said. The Israeli prime minister also said Machchhar would be welcomed in Israel and invited him and his family to visit. Netanyahu said he wanted Machchhar and PM Modi to light a celebratory flame at Israel's next Independence Day ceremony. He described the honour as one usually reserved for Israeli citizens.

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"I really would like them to bear a celebratory flame. It's our highest honour that we give in our Independence Day. It's usually reserved for Israeli citizens," Netanyahu said. "But I think here in this case, all the citizens of Israel will, will embrace you. They do now and they will then too." Machchhar thanked Netanyahu and said he looked forward to meeting him in Israel. Netanyahu ended the conversation by wishing the pilot a speedy recovery and saying his visit to Israel would be "memorable and historic".

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