Flydubai FZ1073: Pilot, Plumber, Banker And Dentist Who Helped Save 174 Lives

Captain Smit Machchhar was badly injured when his Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked him inside the cockpit of flydubai Flight FZ1073, sending the aircraft into a steep descent. Despite his injuries, the Indian pilot managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to rush in and overpower the attacker.

What followed was a desperate rescue effort involving Machchhar, four Israeli passengers, a dentist and off-duty pilots that helped regain control of the Boeing 737 MAX and bring it safely to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The flight was carrying 174 people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have praised Machchhar for his actions. Netanyahu said the injured captain resisted the attack and opened the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to intervene.

Captain Smit Machchhar

Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot during the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight as the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly. Flight-tracking data showed the plane dropping from around 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute.

Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to release the cockpit door. Passengers then entered and helped restrain the attacker while other crew members and reserve pilots worked to stabilise the aircraft.

Machchhar was taken to hospital in Tabuk and was reported to be in stable condition.

The Passengers Who Rushed Into The Cockpit

Yaniv Hayun, a plumber, was among the first passengers to enter the cockpit. He said he pulled the suspected attacker away from the controls and later helped level the aircraft by pulling back on the controls. Hayun said his knowledge came partly from watching the television programme Air Crash Investigation.

Assaf Rajuan, an insurance agency owner, also entered the cockpit and helped overpower and restrain the suspected attacker alongside other passengers and crew.

Zvika Manes, CEO of Bank Leumi's underwriting company, said he helped restrain the attacker using cables from the headphones distributed on the flight.

Dr Shota Musaev, a dentist, helped restrain the attacker before turning his attention to the badly wounded Machchhar. He said the captain had suffered severe injuries to his head and hands and had lost a significant amount of blood. Musaev treated him and worked to stop the bleeding until the aircraft landed.

Two off-duty pilots travelling aboard the flight subsequently took over the aircraft and helped guide it to Tabuk.

The exact sequence of events and the individual contributions are still being examined as authorities investigate the cockpit attack and the suspected motive.

For their intervention, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he would recommend the four Israeli passengers involved for the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.

The flight ultimately landed safely after the injured captain, passengers, crew and reserve pilots intervened at different stages of the emergency.