Flydubai flight FZ1073 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when an incident inside the cockpit triggered a serious emergency. The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia and landed safely, with passengers and crew accounted for.

The airline has said the cause and motive of the incident remain subject to investigation. Israeli officials and passengers later described the episode as an apparent attempt by the first officer to take control of the aircraft and crash it.

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Captain holds the line

Captain Smit Machchhar was badly injured, yet the cockpit door became the turning point on Flydubai flight FZ1073 as passengers rushed in and confronted the suspected attacker | X (@Starboy2079)
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Captain Smit Machchhar was badly injured, yet the cockpit door became the turning point on Flydubai flight FZ1073 as passengers rushed in and confronted the suspected attacker | X (@Starboy2079)

At the center of the response was Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot-in-command.

Machchhar was attacked and suffered serious injuries. Despite being wounded, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing people outside to enter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi later praised Machchhar for showing courage and resolve while seriously injured. He is recovering in a hospital in Tabuk, according to the reports.

From fixing pipes to helping steady a plane

Israeli Yaniv Hayun helped avert a tragedy aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, after the co-pilot attacked the pilot and the plane began to dangerously lose altitude | X (@NOOLVIDAR11)
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Israeli Yaniv Hayun helped avert a tragedy aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, after the co-pilot attacked the pilot and the plane began to dangerously lose altitude | X (@NOOLVIDAR11)

That open cockpit door became a crucial moment. Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun, a plumber, was among those who rushed inside.

Hayun told Israeli media that he found the suspected attacker near the controls and pulled him away.

He also said he had watched “Air Crash Investigation” and used what he remembered to pull back on the aircraft controls as the plane was descending.

“I watched ‘Air Crash Investigation,’ so I pulled the controls, and the plane began to level out,” Hayun said.

Quite the unusual rescue party

Hayun was not alone. Assaf Rajuan, an insurance agency owner, also entered the cockpit and helped overpower the suspected attacker.

Zvika Manes, the CEO of Bank Leumi’s underwriting company, helped restrain the man. Passenger accounts said cables from the aircraft’s multimedia headphones were used to help tie him down.

Rajuan said passengers and crew kept the attacker restrained while the aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia.

The fourth passenger was dentist Dr. Shota Musaev. After helping restrain the attacker, Musaev turned to Machchhar, who had suffered heavy bleeding.

Musaev said he was the only doctor on the flight and managed to stop the bleeding. “I managed to stop the bleeding,” he said.

The pilot remained conscious and was able to communicate, according to Musaev’s account.

Never off-duty

Two off-duty pilots who were travelling as passengers also played a critical role.

They subsequently took over the aircraft’s operation and helped land it safely at Tabuk. That means the rescue was not the work of one person alone.

Machchhar’s actions helped open the cockpit; passengers subdued the suspected attacker; a dentist treated the injured captain; and pilots among the passengers helped fly the aircraft.

Also Read | Flydubai cockpit attack: Was Indian pilot Smit Machchhar hit with an axe?

Why remains elusive

This is the damage from a sudden drop in altitude of Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight FZ1073 | X (@aprajitanefes)
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This is the damage from a sudden drop in altitude of Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight FZ1073 | X (@aprajitanefes)

The exact motive behind the cockpit attack has not been established.

Israeli authorities have described the incident as an apparent attempt to crash the plane, while Flydubai has urged against premature conclusions as the investigation continues.

What is clear is that a potentially catastrophic mid-air emergency ended with the aircraft landing safely in Saudi Arabia.