Passengers and crew fought off a pilot to save a Flydubai jet
By Daniel Okafor · Reporting from New York ·
When an attacking co-pilot sent a Flydubai flight into a steep dive, injured crew and passengers fought back, proving that airlines must strictly screen every pilot.
Blood on the flight deck and a rapid dive
A Flydubai flight left Dubai for Tel Aviv. The Korea Herald reported that 174 people were on board. An Omani co-pilot attacked and stabbed the Indian captain, Smit Machchhar. Fox News said the co-pilot used his feet to destroy the controls. The jet plunged nearly 4.3 kilometers in less than 30 seconds. The Guardian reported that most of the rudder was torn off the tail. BBC Flightradar24 data tracked the steep descent, and MercoPress reported that the plane landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. The reporting accounts confirm a deliberate effort to destroy the aircraft.
Who opened the door and tied the attacker?
Captain Machchhar opened the cockpit door while lying on the floor covered in blood. Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber, entered the cockpit and grabbed the controls to pull back the handles. Dr Shota Musaev, a dentist, helped Machchhar and tied the attacker with headphone cords and plastic zip-ties. Asaf Rajuan helped restrain the attacker. An off-duty British pilot and another European relief pilot entered the cockpit to stabilize and land the aircraft. Dr Shota Musaev treated Machchhar's severe injuries. “He was covered in cuts – his head, his hands – they were practically sliced open, almost severed in two … he had lost a lot of blood and was in bad shape,” said Dr Shota Musaev. Lital Shachaf, a passenger, described the ordeal. “I just can say that it was a miracle. It was awful, crazy, and we thank God that we survived it,” said Lital Shachaf.
The politicians claim the heroics for their own ends
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the event a serious security incident. He said Machchhar saved the lives of the passengers and prevented a catastrophic mid-air disaster. Narendra Modi called Machchhar a hero in a post on X. Donald Trump stated that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could have been responsible for the attack. Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote that terrorism is a devil with whom no agreement must be reached. Doron Spielman stated that security checks will be known for every pilot flying into Israel. United Airlines Flight 93 showed that ordinary passengers and crew members will fight back to overpower a hijacker to prevent a plane from being crashed into a target. Political leaders quickly drew their own conclusions from the struggle.
Why airlines must screen every pilot now
The facts of the flight leave no room for doubt about what happened over Saudi airspace. An insider with a flight deck key turned a commercial aircraft into a guided missile. The co-pilot aimed to kill the captain and drive passengers into the ground. He failed because a bleeding captain crawled to the door and ordinary passengers refused to die quietly. The pilot survived with severed hands and massive blood loss. The passengers used plastic ties and headphone cords to bind the attacker. No airline can survive the revelation that its own flight deck is a suicide vector. Every carrier must implement strict background checks and psychological screenings for every pilot on every route. The governments of the region must enforce those standards without exception. The safety of the skies belongs to those who fight for it, not those who betray it.
Sources
- The Korea Herald: Passengers foil bid to crash Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, Israel says, after co-pilot stabs pilot
- The Guardian: ‘Hero’ pilot, plumber and dentist among those who saved flydubai flight to Israel
- Fox News: Pilot on Tel Aviv-bound FlyDubai 'prevented another 9/11,' Netanyahu says
- MercoPress: Pilot stabs another on a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight and passengers subdue him
- BBC: Who is the 'hero' Indian pilot who was stabbed on Israel-bound flight?