Dubai/Tel Aviv: A six-year-old girl’s request to her mother to take her to the lavatory reportedly helped raise the alarm during the cockpit attack on Indian pilot Smit Machchhar aboard a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, as passengers became aware of the violent struggle taking place near the cockpit.
The incident occurred aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying 174 passengers from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
According to a report by The Independent, six-year-old Nina Manes asked her mother, Tali, to accompany her to the lavatory. As the mother and daughter approached the area near the cockpit, they reportedly heard shouting and became aware of the attack on Captain Machchhar by the co-pilot.
Mother alerts passengers after hearing shouting
Tali reportedly raised the alarm after hearing the commotion near the cockpit.
Speaking to Israel’s Channel 12, she recalled seeing blood inside the cockpit and described the struggle as extremely violent.
The incident unfolded while the aircraft was in flight, with the confrontation eventually alerting other passengers to the emergency.
The account has provided another detail of how passengers became involved in the situation after the attack began.
Tali’s husband, Zvika, also recalled hearing the shrieks of his daughters as the aircraft experienced a sudden descent during the incident.
Captain Machchhar fights back
The cockpit attack involved the co-pilot stabbing Captain Smit Machchhar approximately two hours after the aircraft departed Dubai, according to reports.
Despite being injured, Machchhar fought back and managed to open the cockpit door. This allowed passengers to enter the cockpit area and overpower the attacker.
The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
All passengers and crew members survived the incident.
Machchhar was later taken to hospital in Abu Dhabi for treatment and recovery.
Captain tells PM Modi he feared aircraft was going down
Machchhar spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone on Friday and described the moments following the attack.
The captain said he realised the aircraft was descending while he was lying injured inside the cockpit.
“I was fighting for my life, but I was determined not to let others die,” Machchhar told Modi, according to the account of their conversation.
He said his experience as a pilot helped him understand what was happening to the aircraft even while he was on the cockpit floor.
Machchhar explained that he had been flying aircraft for 17 years and had served as a captain for 11 years. He said he knew that he had to make a final effort to reach the cockpit door and regain control.
He eventually managed to open the door, allowing passengers to intervene.
Identity of co-pilot under investigation
The co-pilot involved in the attack has been identified in reports as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami. However, official confirmation of his identity has reportedly not yet been issued.
Reports have also raised questions about his previous employment and background.
The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that the co-pilot had previously been banned from flying by Omani authorities over concerns about his ideological views.
Other reports have made allegations regarding his past and online activity. Authorities are investigating the incident, including the motive behind the attack and the co-pilot’s background.
Such reported details remain subject to official investigation and confirmation.
Investigation continues after emergency landing
The incident has prompted investigations into how the attack occurred inside the cockpit and the circumstances surrounding the co-pilot.
Authorities are also examining the events leading up to the assault, the aircraft’s rapid loss of altitude and the subsequent diversion to Saudi Arabia.
The involvement of passengers became a crucial part of the emergency response after Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door.
The account of Nina Manes and her mother adds another perspective to the sequence of events, indicating how an ordinary request to use the lavatory brought them close enough to hear the disturbance and alert others.
While the full circumstances surrounding the attack remain under investigation, the captain’s actions and the subsequent intervention by passengers helped ensure that the aircraft landed safely and that all those aboard survived.