Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has said he opened the cockpit door of the Israel-bound Flydubai plane to allow passengers to come in and halt its rapid descent.
In a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Capt Machchhar said 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 said.
“Others came in and also played a role [in controlling the situation]. I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die,” he added.
Machchhar was attacked by another pilot onboard a flight bound for Tel Aviv from Dubai, forcing the plane to divert to Saudi Arabia.
The plane plunged more than 17,000ft (5,200m) two hours into its journey on Wednesday, before passengers and crew overpowered the attacker and retook control to land safely.
Modi told 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.
The captain, who has also 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.
He was later airlifted to Abu Dhabi where he is reported to be in a stable condition.
The Indian embassy in the UAE on Thursday said Machchhar was “in good health and recovering well”. Ambassador Deepak Mittal said he was “proud of Capt Smit for his bravery” and “very reassured” to meet him.
“I am not looking at this wound like a wound because that would make my recovery even more difficult,” Machchhar said.
“I am looking at it as a journey which is slowly going on and will take time but I am confident that the recovery will be there and I will become fit and healthy again.”
