The pilot of the Israel-bound plane, who was attacked by his co-pilot as he attempted to crash the aircraft, said that as he struggled to fight off the attacker, he knew he was not only trying to save his own life, but also the lives of the rest of the passengers and crew.

In a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that was released Friday, the pilot, Indian national Smit Machchhar, said that while he was trying to kick open the cockpit door to let people in to help, “I was telling, sir, that I was doing this for my life, but at the same time I knew that I cannot let everybody else die.” He added, “Everybody else also played an equal role” in stopping the midair attack.

Machchhar, who said he had been a pilot for 17 years and a captain for 11 years, told Modi that when he realized the plane was going down, he told himself to give the cockpit door “one last push, Smit. Just do it.”

Machchhar suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized. India’s embassy in the United Arab Emirates said Thursday that he was recovering.

Four Americans were among the more than 170 people who were on the flight.

The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain used an emergency cockpit tool during the assault intended for breaking windows, Israel’s ambassador to the UAE Yossi Shelley told MS NOW on Thursday.

Shelley said the co-pilot was an Omani national who had worked for the airline, FlyDubai, for a year. He said he believed the man acted alone.

A senior Omani government official told MS NOW on Friday that Omani officials were still seeking clarity over the circumstances surrounding the incident and said they had not received confirmation that the first officer involved was an Omani national.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter, described the incident as “bizarre” and “terribly disturbing” but cautioned that there remain “so many ifs and buts” and that the circumstances are “still not clear.”

Saudi Arabia said the suspect had been handed over to the UAE, where a team of prosecutors is investigating under Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi. The UAE said the inquiry would examine the motive, including any connection to terrorism or planning or direction. It said the motive has not yet been determined.

In a statement Friday, FlyDubai said it has temporarily suspended operations to Tel Aviv at the request of the authorities.

In the terrifying attack, Machchhar, bloodied and realizing the plane was plunging toward the ground, managed to kick open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to rush in and subdue the co-pilot. Backup pilots were able to take over the plane to keep it from crashing. People on the plane provided medical treatment to Machchhar. The aircraft dove more than 14,000 feet in approximately 30 seconds during the attack, according to FlightRadar data.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited the captain with saving the lives of 174 people. In a Fox News interview Thursday, he said he believed the attacker had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination.”

Shelley said Emirati investigators should establish what happened on the plane and who was behind it. “We have to trust authorities to get the results,” he said.

“And with all the passengers in there, and if you couple that with what I just told you about the Islamist tendencies, that radicalisation that were found in his background, I think … that’ll give us a pretty good clue,” he said.

FlyDubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith confirmed in a statement Friday that the plane was diverted to Tabuk and said that “all 172 passengers and crew on board are safe and being cared for.” Al Gaith added, “Our teams are working around the clock to support disrupted passengers and help them reach their final destinations.”

“I want to express my deep gratitude to our Captain, the pilots who secured the aircraft and landed it safely, as well as our cabin crew,” he said. “I extend our sincere gratitude to the passengers on board who assisted our crew during a challenging situation.”

Asked during the interview whether Israel wanted to question the suspect directly, Shelley replied, “no,” and deferred to international aviation authorities.

Shelley said there had been no change in security measures for Israelis in the UAE. He suggested there should be closer scrutiny of pilots and declined to say whether Israeli security personnel had been aboard the flight.

He said he had spoken to passengers reluctant to board replacement flights and praised Saudi authorities for looking after them.

The ambassador said he believed the incident targeted the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered agreement that normalized relations between Israel and the UAE in 2020, and insisted it would not undermine the partnership.

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From MS Now.