Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar has described the terrifying moment he realized the aircraft was rapidly losing altitude after he was attacked and seriously wounded by his co-pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

Machchhar, an Indian national with 17 years of flying experience, gave his first detailed public account of the incident during an emotional video conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while recovering in hospital.

The captain said he was lying injured on the cockpit floor when he sensed that the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was descending rapidly. Despite suffering multiple injuries, he forced himself to get up and open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and intervene.

Flight-tracking information indicated that the aircraft lost more than 14,000 feet of altitude in roughly 30 seconds.

The aircraft was eventually diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. The incident is now being investigated by authorities in several countries.

Captain Realized the Aircraft Was Going Down

Machchhar told Modi that his extensive experience as a pilot allowed him to recognize the aircraft’s condition even while he was severely injured.

“There was a moment when I realized that if I didn’t do something — because I had fallen, I had suffered so many injuries that I had gone down,” he said.

“When I was down, I could feel that the aircraft was going down.”

The captain said he understood that he had very little time to act.

“I knew exactly that this would be the last push,” he said.

He then forced himself toward the cockpit door despite his injuries.

“I told myself that if I didn’t get up, there would be a problem. I managed to open the door, and then everyone else came in.”

His decision to open the door became a crucial moment in the emergency.

Machchhar Was Fighting for His Life

The captain said he was simultaneously attempting to survive the assault and prevent the aircraft from becoming uncontrollable.

“I was fighting for my life,” Machchhar told Modi.

He explained that his experience flying aircraft for nearly two decades allowed him to understand what was happening even without being able to see the flight instruments normally.

Machchhar has worked as a captain for approximately 11 years.

That experience, he said, helped him recognize the aircraft’s descent while he was lying on the cockpit floor.

The captain’s account provides an insight into the seconds during which the aircraft was rapidly losing altitude and passengers were unaware of the full extent of the crisis unfolding inside the cockpit.

Passengers Entered the Cockpit

After Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, passengers and crew members rushed inside.

They helped overpower the co-pilot and prevent him from maintaining control of the cockpit.

Two off-duty Flydubai pilots were also among the passengers aboard the aircraft. They subsequently helped take control of the plane and divert it toward Saudi Arabia.

The aircraft eventually landed safely in Tabuk.

Saudi authorities later said in a preliminary finding that the first officer had assaulted the captain and that both pilots had been injured.

The preliminary findings did not establish a motive for the attack.

Captain Credits Passengers and Crew

Although Machchhar’s actions were central to the emergency response, he said other people aboard the aircraft also played an important role in preventing a disaster.

The captain told Modi that “everyone else had an equal part” in saving the flight.

His comments reflected the coordinated response that followed the cockpit confrontation.

Once the cockpit door was opened, passengers and crew members were able to intervene. The presence of two off-duty pilots then provided additional trained personnel capable of taking control of the aircraft.

The flight was subsequently diverted and brought safely to the ground.

Machchhar Recalls His Faith During the Crisis

During his conversation with Modi, Machchhar also spoke about how he relied on his faith while fighting to survive.

He said that when he faces difficult situations, he recites the Hanuman Chalisa, a Hindu devotional prayer dedicated to Hanuman.

Machchhar said he was reciting it during the emergency as well.

“And I am just, in positivity, whenever I get a chance, I say only one thing, I say only Hanuman Chalisa. Even at that time, I used to say only Hanuman Chalisa. Now I know that he is not God, he is my saviour,” he told Modi.

The captain became emotional while recounting the incident and his efforts to regain control of the situation.

Modi Praises Captain’s Courage

Prime Minister Modi praised Machchhar for his actions during the emergency and told him that people across India were praying for his recovery.

The prime minister highlighted the captain’s ability to remain focused despite suffering serious injuries.

Machchhar responded by emphasizing that he was concentrating on recovering from his injuries.

He told Modi that he remained “focused on positivity” while receiving medical treatment.

The conversation was conducted while the captain was recovering in hospital, with his injuries still visible.

Captain Received Treatment in Saudi Arabia

Following the emergency landing in Tabuk, Machchhar was treated by medical personnel in Saudi Arabia before receiving further care in the United Arab Emirates.

India’s ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, also visited the injured captain and said he was recovering.

Machchhar’s condition has been closely followed in India because of his role in helping prevent the aircraft from becoming a catastrophic aviation disaster.

The captain’s account has also drawn international attention because it provides a firsthand description of what happened inside the cockpit.

Investigation Into the Incident Continues

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have launched a judicial investigation into the incident, while the country’s civil aviation authorities are examining the operational and security aspects of the flight.

Saudi Arabia and Israel are also conducting investigations.

The co-pilot was taken to the UAE after the incident as authorities continued examining the circumstances surrounding the cockpit attack.

Investigators are expected to examine the co-pilot’s background, his actions before and during the flight, possible motives and whether anyone else was involved.

The preliminary Saudi assessment confirmed that the first officer attacked the captain, but did not establish why the confrontation occurred.

Security Questions Surround the Flight

The incident has raised broader questions about cockpit security and the procedures used by airlines and governments to screen flight crew members.

The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, an international route requiring coordination between several aviation and security authorities.

The alleged attack has prompted officials to examine how the co-pilot was cleared to operate the flight and whether any information about his background should have triggered additional scrutiny.

Flydubai has urged caution while the investigation continues and has avoided drawing conclusions about the motive.

A Rapid Descent Created a Critical Emergency

The aircraft’s rapid loss of altitude was one of the most dangerous aspects of the incident.

Flight-tracking data indicated that the Boeing 737 MAX 8 descended more than 14,000 feet in approximately half a minute.

For Machchhar, who was lying injured inside the cockpit, the sensation of the aircraft descending provided an immediate warning that something had to be done.

His decision to force himself up and open the cockpit door allowed others to intervene.

The subsequent arrival of passengers and off-duty pilots helped stabilize the situation and ultimately brought the aircraft safely to Tabuk.

Captain Remains Focused on Recovery

Despite the severity of his injuries and the traumatic circumstances of the flight, Machchhar has said he remains optimistic about his recovery.

His conversation with Modi offered a rare firsthand account of the incident and highlighted the sequence of events that unfolded during the aircraft’s descent.

The captain’s decision to open the cockpit door while seriously injured allowed passengers and crew members to enter and restrain the attacker.

Two off-duty pilots then helped take control of the aircraft and divert it to safety.

Investigators are continuing to determine exactly what triggered the confrontation and whether additional security failures contributed to the incident.

For Machchhar, however, the immediate priority remains recovery after an ordeal that began as a routine international flight and quickly developed into a life-threatening emergency.