Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot injured during a mid-air confrontation with his co-pilot aboard a Flydubai flight, has recounted how he fought to regain control of the aircraft after realising it was rapidly losing altitude.

Machchhar, speaking from a hospital bed in Abu Dhabi during a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, said he was badly injured and lying on the cockpit floor when he realised the aircraft was going down.

“I knew that the aircraft was going down … I had fallen to the ground. I told myself that the door is right there, just open it. I managed to do it and people entered,” he said, according to a report of the conversation.

The incident occurred on Wednesday aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, according to Reuters. The Boeing 737 reportedly plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds during the cockpit confrontation before the flight was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar said he understood that opening the cockpit door was his last chance to get help and prevent the situation from becoming fatal.

“I was fighting for my life. At one point, I realised that if I didn’t get up … then passengers would lose their lives,” he said, according to a report of the conversation.

After Machchhar managed to open the door, passengers and crew members entered the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot. A second pair of Flydubai pilots who were travelling on the aircraft then took control and landed the plane safely at Tabuk Airport.

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry said its initial findings indicated that the pilot had been assaulted by his co-pilot, resulting in injuries to both men. Authorities have not publicly established a motive for the confrontation, while an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Machchhar, who has about 17 years of flying experience and has served as a captain for 11 years, was later transferred to Abu Dhabi for further treatment. He told Modi that he believed his training and faith helped him respond during the emergency.

The UAE attorney general has ordered a specialist investigation into the incident, including whether it involved any terrorist activity, prior planning or direction. Authorities have also urged the public and media to avoid speculation while the investigation continues.

The captain’s actions have drawn praise from Indian, Israeli and US officials, although the circumstances surrounding the cockpit confrontation and the co-pilot’s motive remain under investigation.