Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar has recounted the tense moments aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 after he was attacked by his co-pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, saying his determination to protect the passengers kept him fighting even after he was seriously injured.

Machchhar gave the account during a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who praised the pilot for his actions during the September 30 incident.

According to Machchhar, he was lying injured on the cockpit floor when he realised that the aircraft was rapidly losing altitude. Despite his condition, he said he made one more attempt to open the cockpit door because he understood that the safety of everyone aboard depended on the situation being brought under control.

He said other people eventually entered the cockpit and helped deal with the situation, allowing additional pilots who were travelling on the aircraft to take over the controls.

“I was fighting for my own life, but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die,” Machchhar told Modi, according to Reuters.

The incident involved Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv. During the flight, the aircraft transmitted an emergency signal and subsequently experienced a rapid loss of altitude before diverting to Saudi Arabia.

Reports from aviation and regional authorities indicate that the aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk after the cockpit confrontation. Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said its preliminary investigation found that the captain had been assaulted by his co-pilot and that both pilots sustained injuries.

Israeli officials have alleged that the co-pilot attempted to crash the aircraft after attacking Machchhar. However, the circumstances and motive remain under investigation, and authorities have not yet issued a final finding establishing the full sequence of events or whether the incident was connected to terrorism.

The United Arab Emirates has opened a formal investigation into the incident. The probe is examining the circumstances surrounding the cockpit confrontation, the possible motive and whether there was any prior planning or connection to terrorist activity.

Machchhar was initially taken to a hospital in Tabuk after the aircraft landed. He was subsequently transferred to Abu Dhabi for further medical treatment. Reports from Indian officials said he was in stable condition and recovering.

His actions have attracted widespread praise in India and abroad. Modi described the pilot's courage and quick decision-making as instrumental in preventing a major disaster, while other officials also commended his response under extremely difficult circumstances.

Speaking about his recovery, Machchhar said he remained confident that he would eventually regain his health despite the injuries he suffered during the incident. He described his recovery as a gradual process and said he was determined to become fit again.

The investigation into FZ1073 remains ongoing, with Saudi and Emirati authorities examining the incident and its circumstances. The case has also prompted renewed questions about aviation security and the measures used to assess and monitor flight crew.

For now, the safe landing of the aircraft and the survival of those aboard have placed Machchhar's account at the centre of attention as investigators work to establish exactly what happened inside the cockpit during the flight.