Captain Smit Machchhar, the FlyDubai pilot who forced open the cockpit door after being stabbed by his co‑pilot during a mid‑air assault, told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he was fighting for his life before taking that decisive action.
“You are my greatest inspiration, and I feel deeply honored that you reached out and encouraged me,” he said during the Friday call. “In that moment I was fighting for my life.”
He recalled, “I had fallen to the floor, wounded and disoriented. I thought that if I didn’t get up, all my 17 years of flying—11 as a captain—would mean nothing. Even with my eyes closed I could sense the aircraft’s behavior. While lying there, I could feel the plane plunging, and I told myself, ‘This is the final push, Smit. Get up, the door is right there.’”
Summoning his strength, he opened the door. Crew members and passengers rushed in, subdued the attacker, and helped stabilize the aircraft. “I was trying to save myself, but I also knew I could not let anyone else perish,” he added.
FLYDUBAI PILOT SHOWED WORLD ‘THE HIGHEST FORM OF COURAGE,’ INDIA’S PM SAYS
A side‑by‑side image shows Captain Smit Machchhar, the FlyDubai pilot stabbed during the September 30, 2026 flight, speaking with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on an October 2, 2026 call. (Narendra Modi YouTube Channel via AP)
His action enabled Israeli passengers to storm the cockpit, overpower the co‑pilot, and bring the aircraft under control after it had dropped more than 14,000 feet in just half a minute.
FLYDUBAI PASSENGER RECOUNTS HOW CO‑PILOT STABBED CAPTAIN BEFORE TERRIFYING DESCENT AND EMERGENCY LANDING
The pilot, lauded by Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and several passengers, explained that he relied on his faith to endure the ordeal.
“When I am in pain, I have only one recitation—the Hanuman Chalisa. I believe God spared me,” Machchhar said.
INDIA’S PRIME MINISTER PRAISES THE PILOT’S ACTION AS THE HIGHEST FORM OF COURAGE
Modi responded that the entire nation was holding him in prayer.
“Yesterday, temples and holy sites across the country offered prayers and chants for your long life. We all pray for your swift recovery, and India eagerly awaits your return,” Modi said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi converses with FlyDubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar during their October 2, 2026 telephone call. (Narendra Modi YouTube Channel via AP)
“Citizens are chanting mantras, praising your courage, patience, and quick thinking. You made a split‑second decision that saved countless lives, and today the nation can proudly declare that we are not aggressors but protectors,” Modi said. “You suffered numerous injuries and are battling for your life, yet in that instant you thought of the passengers, not yourself. By upholding the honor of 1.4 billion Indians, you have made me proud from the depths of my heart.”
Netanyahu told Fox News in a Thursday interview that the pilot suffered a head wound and his arm was nearly severed, yet Machchhar remains optimistic about a full recovery.
NETANYAHU COMMENDS THE PILOT’S ACTIONS AS PREVENTING A POTENTIAL ANOTHER 9/11‑STYLE ATTACK
“I do not dwell on these injuries as ordinary wounds, for that would impede healing. I view them as a gradual journey; although it will take time, I am confident I will recover fully and return to good health,” he told Modi.
Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot allegedly assaulted aboard a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel on September 30, 2026. (Israel Foreign Ministry)
After receiving initial treatment in Saudi Arabia—where a relief crew aboard the aircraft executed a safe landing—Machchhar was transferred to a hospital in the United Arab Emirates, where he continues to recuperate.
FLYDUBAI PASSENGER RECOUNTS HOW CO‑PILOT STABBED CAPTAIN BEFORE TERRIFYING DESCENT AND EMERGENCY LANDING
“I am doing well and everything is okay,” he told Modi.