Smit Machchhar, captain of flydubai flight FZ1073, gave his first media interview on 17/10, revealing details of last month's incident where the co-pilot attempted to seize control and crash the aircraft into Israel.

"My vision narrowed to just a few centimeters," Machchhar described his state immediately after the co-pilot struck him hard on the head with an emergency axe.

The blow dazed Machchhar, making him believe a section of the cabin ceiling had come loose. He endured further attacks, sustaining injuries while raising his hands to defend himself.

Machchhar recounted struggling to open the cockpit door so another pilot, who was on the flight as a passenger, could enter.

"I shouted his name and tried my best," Machchhar recalled. "The switch was right near me, so I wanted to open the door for help. I remember opening it, but then it slammed shut."

In that life-or-death moment, Machchhar felt his blood and energy draining, almost losing consciousness. "Immediately after, I heard the engine noise fade, and then instantly felt the plane begin to dive," the flydubai captain remembered.

Machchhar stated that throughout the horrifying ordeal, the constant thought in his mind was, "I cannot die like this."

The Indian captain also praised the timely intervention of his colleagues and everyone else, which helped the plane land safely. "That is something I will remember for the rest of my life," Machchhar said.

Captain Smit Machchhar met Dubai Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in a UAE hospital. Photo: Reuters

The co-pilot in the attack, identified by media as Hamam al-Hammami, used an emergency axe to assault the captain on flydubai flight FZ1073 on 30/9. He was then subdued by several passengers, preventing a catastrophe.

According to his plan, the co-pilot intended to crash the plane into a building or aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport, Israel's largest and busiest aviation facility, and one of the country's most heavily guarded locations. By waiting until the last minute, the co-pilot aimed to reduce the risk of his plan being exposed, prevent those on board from raising an alarm, and make interception more difficult.

The suspect confessed to UAE investigators that he had harbored the intention of carrying out an attack similar to the 11/9/2001 terrorist attacks in the US, stating he acted alone.