flydubai horror: Attacker may have struck Indian captain with ax
What's the story
The captain of the flydubai aircraft, who fought off his co-pilot trying to allegedly crash the plane on their way from Dubai to Tel Aviv, may have been struck with an ax. "On a flight from Dubai...as they were approaching Israel, there was an attack by one of the pilots against the other pilot. Apparently, he stabbed him, or he hit him with an ax. He was bleeding profusely," Isareli PM Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News's Sean Hannity.
Heroic intervention
Machchhar hospitalized, now stable: Netanyahu praises him as 'true hero'
A pilot flying in the region told Reuters that pilots could have access to metal knives used for meal service or a crash axe, commonly kept in cockpits.
The exact weapon used has not been revealed.
Passengers and crew members managed to enter the cockpit and subdue the co-pilot after the injured pilot opened the door.
Captain Smit Machchhar was hospitalized after the incident and is now stable. Netanyahu praised him as a "true hero" for his actions.
Terrorism confirmed
Reserve crew pilots were able to stabilize the plane
Among the passengers who entered the cockpit was Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber, who told Netanyahu that he put the attacker in a chokehold and dragged him out.
"I called out to...Israelis...We pinned him down. I jumped back, grabbed the controls, and started pulling back the handles."
Hayoun said he knew what to do in a nosedive after watching many episodes of Air Crash Investigation.
Two "reserve crew" pilots were able to come forward and land it safely in Saudi Arabia.
Flight suspension
Other passengers' roles
Three other Israeli passengers, Assaf Rajuan, Zvika Manes, and Shota Musaev, also played crucial roles.
Rajuan, an insurance agency owner, helped overpower the co-pilot while Manes used multimedia headphone cables to restrain him.
"We later tied him up and neutralized him....He was a strong man, probably full of adrenaline," Manes said.
Musaev, a dentist and the only doctor on board, treated Machchhar's severe injuries. He said Machchhar was "in very bad shape" with heavy bleeding from his head and hands.
Ongoing probe
Co-pilot arrested; investigations underway
The co-pilot, suspected to be an Omani national, has been arrested.
Netanyahu said investigations are underway to determine if there were accomplices involved in the incident. He also hinted at possible Iranian involvement but said it was too early to confirm any connections.
The aircraft had initially transmitted emergency signals indicating possible hijacking attempts, which led Israeli authorities to scramble fighter jets.