An Indian pilot has been praised for helping save 174 people after he was stabbed by his co-pilot during a mid-air attack on a Flydubai flight.
Captain Smit Machchhar was seriously injured inside the cockpit but still managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and Emirati crew members to intervene and overpower the attacker.
The aircraft was later diverted safely to Tabuk in north-west Saudi Arabia.
Plane Dropped More Than 14,000ft
Flight data showed the aircraft suffered a dramatic loss of altitude during the incident.
The flight left Dubai International Airport at 03:05 UTC.
At 05:21 altitude fluctuations began, and one minute later the aircraft dropped more than 14,000ft in under 30 seconds.
The aircraft later changed its transponder code first to 7700, indicating a general emergency, and then to 7500, which is used to signal unlawful interference.
Pilot Stabbed By Co-Pilot
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later identified Machchhar as the pilot who was stabbed by his co-pilot.
Netanyahu said Machchhar resisted the attacker despite being seriously injured and succeeded in opening the cockpit door.
Israel’s foreign ministry also praised his actions, saying his ability to unlock the door allowed passengers and crew to intervene.
Passengers Rushed Cockpit
Passenger Yaniv Hayun described how he and other passengers entered the cockpit and found one pilot on the floor and another slumped across the controls.
He said the attacker was positioned between the two pilot seats.
Hayun said he called for help and, with two other passengers, managed to pin the attacker down.
He then grabbed the controls and pulled back on the aircraft’s handles in an attempt to stabilise the plane.
Passenger Says TV Show Helped Him
Hayun later told Netanyahu that he knew what to do partly because he watched the television programme Air Crash Investigation.
He said that when he saw the aircraft descending, he instinctively tried to pull the controls back.
Netanyahu later met Hayun after he returned to Israel and publicly praised him for his actions.
Pilot Taken To Hospital In Tabuk
Machchhar was taken to hospital in Tabuk after the aircraft landed.
India’s embassy in Saudi Arabia said he was in a stable condition and that his family had been contacted.
The embassy described him as a “brave Indian pilot”.
Flydubai Suspends Israel Flights
Flydubai has temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel while the incident is investigated.
The airline said the suspension would allow authorities to carry out their work and that it remained in close contact with the relevant agencies.
The incident has also triggered questions over security screening for pilots and other aviation staff.
Israel To Increase Pilot Security Checks
An Israeli government spokesperson said security checks on pilots flying into Israel would be increased following the incident.
Doron Spielman, spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office, said authorities would seek to establish more information about the identities and backgrounds of pilots operating flights into the country.
Motive Not Yet Confirmed
Israeli officials have referred to the attack as a terror incident, but the attacker’s precise motive has not yet been publicly confirmed.
Investigations are ongoing in Israel and elsewhere.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche said American authorities were coordinating with overseas counterparts but said it would be inappropriate to speculate beyond confirmed information.
