I opened cockpit door of plane while being attacked, Indian pilot tells Modi

ByVikas Pandey Reporting fromDelhi. 2 October 2026, 08: 07 BST.

Key points

• Machchhar was attacked by another pilot onboard a flight bound for Tel Aviv from Dubai, forcing the plane to divert to Saudi Arabia.
• Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has remarked he opened the cockpit door of the Israel-bound Flydubai plane to allow passengers to come in and halt its rapid descent.
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• The Indian embassy in the UAE on Thursday remarked Machchhar was "in good health and recovering well".
• He was afterwards airlifted to Abu Dhabi where he is noted to be in a stable condition.

In a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Capt Machchhar remarked he was on the ground and still being attacked by his co-pilot when he realised the plane was sinking and he had to do something.

"I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside, " he remarked.

"Others came in and additionally played a role. I was of course fighting for my own life but meanwhile I knew I was not going to let others die, " he continued.

Modi informed the captain that "his courage, patience and quick decision-making saved the lives of so many people" and the whole country was proud of him.

In practice, the captain, who has additionally been hailed as a "true hero" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was taken initially to a hospital in Tabuk, a city in north-western Saudi Arabia.

Notably, the Indian embassy in the UAE on Thursday remarked Machchhar was "in good health and recovering well". Ambassador Deepak Mittal remarked he was "proud of Capt Smit for his bravery" and "very reassured" to meet him.

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