'I couldn't let everyone else die': The Flydubai pilot stabbed by his coworker describes how he helped save Flight 1073

Captain Smit Machchhar of Flydubai Flight 1073 has been hailed as a hero after he was stabbed by his coworker and managed to save the plane from crashing. The pilot spoke to India's prime minister on a video call from the hospital, describing how he opened the cockpit door even as he was being attacked. Machchhar, who has been a captain for the past 11 years, said he acted to save not just himself, but also the 180 passengers and crew on board.

The plane had suddenly dropped more than 15,000 feet before passengers and crew subdued the first officer, before the plane landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The other pilot was arrested, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling Machchhar a true hero. The passengers who helped regain control of the airplane, including Yaniv Hayun, Or Pardilov, Shota Musayev and his wife Sigalit, met with Netanyahu on Thursday, describing how they tied the first officer with a headphone cable to regain control of the plane.