Injured pilot describes knife attack in cockpit after emergency landing

After the emergency landing of a Flydubai plane, the injured pilot reported the knife attack by his co-pilot. In a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian flight captain Smit Machchhar said he was lying on the ground in the cockpit after the attack and fighting for his life.

»I had so many wounds. “I fell to the ground,” the pilot said. However, he noticed that the plane was sinking. Eventually he realized that the passengers would lose their lives if he didn't manage to get up. With the last of his strength he opened the door to the cockpit from the inside. Passengers then managed to overpower the co-pilot and bring the plane with 182 people on board to land safely in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The plane was on its way from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

In the video posted on Modi's social media channels, Machchhar can be seen with his head bandaged and tubes in his nose. When describing the events on the plane, the captain is visibly moved.

Modi praised Machchhar's courage. "Your courage, your patience and your ability to make quick decisions saved so many people's lives," said the Indian Prime Minister. The entire country is proud of him. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also described the pilot as a "true hero."