An Indian pilot who helped prevent a flydubai passenger jet from crashing after being attacked by his co-pilot has spoken publicly for the first time, describing his actions as an effort to save the lives of everyone aboard the flight.
An Indian pilot attacked by his co-pilot aboard a flydubai flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel has spoken publicly about the incident, saying he “could not let all those people die” after the confrontation threatened the safety of the aircraft.
The pilot’s actions on Wednesday helped avert a potentially catastrophic disaster after he was injured during the attack. Despite his injuries, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and other crew members to intervene and help regain control of the aircraft.
The flight was subsequently diverted and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, bringing the immediate crisis to an end.
Speaking on Friday, October 2, 2026, in his first public remarks since the incident, the Indian pilot explained why he continued fighting to regain access to the cockpit despite being injured.
“I could not let all those people die,” the pilot said, according to the account of the incident.
The statement provides the first public insight into the pilot’s actions during the dramatic episode, which unfolded aboard a flight carrying mostly Israeli passengers from the UAE to Israel.
The co-pilot has since been returned to the United Arab Emirates, where authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack.
The investigation is expected to establish what led to the confrontation inside the aircraft and whether there was any criminal or security-related motive behind the incident. Authorities are also examining any possible “terrorist activity or intent”.
No conclusion about the motive has been announced in the information available so far, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Following the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, the mostly Israeli passengers were transported back to Israel aboard a replacement flight.
The incident has drawn attention to the critical role of cockpit security and the procedures available to flight crews and passengers when an emergency develops inside an aircraft.
The pilot’s ability to gain access to the cockpit after being attacked was a crucial moment in the incident. Once the cockpit door was opened, passengers and crew members were able to assist in taking control of the situation and preventing the flight from ending in a crash.
The episode also highlights the potential consequences of an onboard cockpit confrontation, particularly when one of the flight crew members is injured or incapacitated.
Investigators in the United Arab Emirates will now seek to establish a full timeline of events, including the circumstances surrounding the co-pilot’s alleged attack, the pilot’s injuries, how the cockpit door was opened and the subsequent decision to divert the aircraft to Saudi Arabia.
For passengers aboard the flight, the emergency ended with a safe landing and their eventual return to Israel. The pilot’s comments, meanwhile, offer an early account of the actions that helped prevent a much larger tragedy.
