I opened cockpit door of plane while being attacked, Indian pilot tells Modi

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has said he opened the cockpit door of the Israel-bound Flydubai plane to allow passengers to come in and halt its rapid descent.In a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Capt Machchhar said he was on the ground and still being attacked by his co-pilot when he realised the plane was sinking and he had to do something."I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside," he said."Others came in and also played a role [in controlling the situation]. I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die," he added.Machchhar was attacked by another pilot onboard a flight bound for Tel Aviv from Dubai, forcing the plane to divert to Saudi Arabia.Modi told the captain that "his courage, patience and quick decision-making saved the lives of so many people" and the whole country was proud of him.The captain, who has also been hailed as a "true hero" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was taken initially to a hospital in Tabuk, a city in north-western Saudi Arabia.He was later airlifted to Abu Dhabi where he is reported to be in a stabl...