New Delhi (AFP) - Smit Machar, the pilot of the Flydubai flight who was assaulted by his co-pilot during a flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv, informed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday that he acted out of protection for the passengers of the plane that made an emergency landing in the Saudi city of Tabuk.

Published on: 02/10/2026 - 11:08 Last updated: 02/10/2026 - 13:28

The Indian Prime Minister posted a clip on social media platforms of a video call he made with Machar, who appeared to be lying in a hospital bed, his head wrapped in a bandage and his nose connected to an oxygen tube.

"I was trying to save my life, but I knew I couldn't let all these (passengers) die," Machar said.

Machar, who has 17 years of aviation experience, 11 of which as a pilot, described the moment he realized the plane was falling while he was injured on the ground, and his efforts to avoid disaster.

He said, "I suffered a number of injuries, which made me collapse. Then, I felt the plane falling. I knew that this was the last attempt, and that the (cockpit) door was close to me."

He pointed out that until that moment, "I was still being beaten, but I opened the door and everyone entered."

Machar pointed out that his experience allowed him to understand what was happening even when he was injured, telling Modi that he recited a Hindu prayer during the incident. “I know God saved me,” he added.

The Flydubai Boeing 737 plane was transporting 174 passengers on a flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

The circumstances of the attack and the attacker's motives are still under investigation. According to the passengers' account, the co-pilot stabbed him with the aim of shooting down the plane, but the pilot was able to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and control the attacker.

The "Flight Radar 24" website, which tracks air traffic, showed that the plane plunged 17,000 feet in just one minute, before landing safely in Tabuk.

Modi said that his compatriot's action helped save hundreds of lives and avert a "major tragedy." He added, "You have done something so great that people across the country and around the world are eager to see you and talk to you."

"You have really made the whole country proud of you," Modi continued.

The pilot also expressed his pride in what he did. While he indicated that the recovery journey will take time, he added, "But I am very confident that I will recover."

On Friday, the pilot also received praise from Anwar Gargash, advisor to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Gargash wrote on the

He added, "Apart from easily reducing what happened or adopting and promoting conspiracy theories, vigilance and precaution remain necessary in the face of the dangers of extremism and terrorism."

The Saudi authorities confirmed on Friday that the pilot and his co-pilot “left the Kingdom, heading to Abu Dhabi” on Thursday morning.

The plane, which was carrying 174 passengers, 166 of whom were Israelis, made an emergency landing in Tabuk. Flydubai spoke of an argument inside the cockpit that caused the distress signal to be activated.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that the co-pilot had undergone "extremist Islamic ideological indoctrination," at a time when the UAE announced an investigation into the possibility that the plane incident was linked to "terrorist activity or purpose."

© 2026 AFP

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