Flydubai pilot says he opened cockpit door while under attack: Reuters

• The opening supposedly allowed passengers and crew to enter the cockpit and overpower the attacker.
• The flight, carrying 174 people, was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where Machchhar was hospitalized.

Indian flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he managed to open the cockpit door while injured and under attack from his co-pilot, according to reports from Reuters published on Friday.

Machchhar was seriously injured during the incident aboard a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday. The aircraft subsequently descended sharply before passengers and crew intervened and the plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Reuters reported that Machchhar, who was bleeding and lying on the cockpit floor, told them he activated the door release, allowing passengers to enter and overpower the co-pilot. 

Two off-duty flydubai pilots were reportedly travelling as passengers then helped land the aircraft safely.

All 174 people aboard the flight survived the incident. Machchhar was taken to a hospital in Tabuk and was reported to be in stable condition.

Modi praised Machchhar’s actions, calling him a hero and saying his conduct had helped protect the lives of those on board.

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