The pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073 issued a mayday call with a trembling voice shortly after 6.30am BST on Wednesday, following an emergency hijacking alert. The Boeing 737 MAX 8, en route to Tel Aviv, was forced to make an emergency landing after a reported knife assault in the cockpit.
Disturbing in-flight footage sent by passengers, some drenched in blood, showed them subduing the assailant and begging for assistance. A graphic video also depicted one of the pilots covered in blood. The injured pilot, identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar, is reported to have unlocked the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to thwart the attacker.
Hero pilot praised by Indian PM
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Machchhar a “hero” on Thursday, saying: “In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy.”
Little is publicly known about Machchhar, but according to his LinkedIn profile, he has worked for Flydubai for about four years. Before joining the airline, he spent 11 years with SpiceJet, an Indian low-cost carrier, where he served as a senior commander and line training captain. He has logged more than 9,750 flying hours, according to the profile.
Rapid descent and passenger actions
During the frightening episode, the aircraft dramatically lost over 14,000ft in altitude. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 revealed the plane plummeting from 30,875ft to 16,750ft within just 29 seconds, a descent of 14,125ft, reports the Express. The rapid drop caused panic, with passenger Naama Bershadski recalling thinking “We're going to die,” as she shut her eyes and prayed.
Yaniv Hayoun, one of the passengers hailed as a “hero” by the Israeli Prime Minister after he subdued the knifeman who allegedly stabbed the plane's pilot, disclosed that he had learned how to land the jet by watching the TV programme Air Crash Investigation. Yaniv informed Benjamin Netanyahu: “We pinned him down to keep him secure and then I jumped into it (the cockpit) and pulled the controls.” When asked how he knew to pull in a backwards motion, Yaniv responded: “I watch Air Crash Investigations Mr Prime Minister.”
Motive and emergency landing
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, prompting Israel to dispatch warplanes due to fears of a potential hijacking. Israeli authorities are treating the incident as a suspected terror attack. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that initial information suggested the alleged attacker intended to crash the plane with all passengers onboard.
According to the Associated Press, an individual who heard the flight's communications with air traffic control described the plane being rejected by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before finally landing in Tabuk, while passengers shrieked in the background. The individual reported that the pilot's voice was shaking as he called “mayday” and announced a hijacking was underway and ambulances would be required. However, Saudi Arabia initially refused clearance to land and directed him to Jordan. The plane was instructed to await clearance from the Jordanian military and then turned away. According to a statement by Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, the plane touched down there at 9:45 a.m., an hour after issuing a distress call.
Israel hasn't seen a hijacking in decades, yet it upholds some of the most stringent airport security measures globally, including on flights bound for Israel. The emergency landing in Saudi Arabia wasn't the first instance of a plane carrying Israelis home having to do so. Despite lacking formal diplomatic relations with Israel, the kingdom lifted its longstanding prohibition on Israeli flights traversing its airspace in 2022.
