India, Oct. 1 -- Indian pilot Smit Machchhar averted a major aviation disaster on Wednesday when he foiled his co-pilot's attempt to crash a flydubai plane. Machchhar was covered with blood on the floor when he managed to click the release to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot.

The incident occurred on a flight to Israel on September 30 and has led to accolades for Captain Smit Machchhar, who was hailed a hero by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

(Also read: flydubai pilot 'a hero', plumber steadied plunging aircraft: Trump)

In the wake of the near-tragedy, an older interview of Machchhar has been going viral online. The Indian pilot spoke to Zalak Mehta last year on a podcast where h...