Injured flydubai captain says he opened cockpit door

Captain Smit Machchhar said he opened the cockpit door while injured during a midair confrontation aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, allowing passengers and crew to enter and help, according to his account to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The aircraft diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and landed safely. The circumstances of the confrontation remain under investigation. During a video call with Modi on Friday, Machchhar said he was on the cockpit floor when he sensed the aircraft descending. Despite his injuries, he pushed himself toward the door and opened it, he said, after which passengers and crew came into the cockpit. Machchhar said he understood that others aboard could be in danger if no one intervened. The account of how the door was opened comes from Machchhar’s remarks during the call. The precise sequence by which control of the aircraft was restored has not been established in the available accounts. The airline said crew members travelling aboard secured the aircraft and diverted it to a safe landing at Tabuk. It said all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for. The flight was identified as flydubai flight FZ1073.