- Two off-duty pilots who landed the damaged Flydubai plane have been identified.
- Captain Smit Machchhar was attacked with an axe by the co-pilot.
- UAE President honoured the pilots and crew for their bravery.
New details have emerged about the two off-duty pilots who helped bring Flydubai aircraft to safety after an attempted hijacking on September 30. The pilots, who stepped in after Indian captain Smit Machchhar was attacked inside the cockpit, have now been identified as Henson Steven from Fiji and Rowan Tooth from South Africa. They helped take control of the aircraft and land it safely in Saudi Arabia despite the scary incident mid-flight.
Two Pilots Identified
The identities of the two pilots came to light during a recognition ceremony in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Until now, their names had not been made public. According to Times of Israel report, Stephen and Toth were travelling as passengers on the flight when the emergency unfolded. Both were off duty at the time but stepped in to assist the flight crew after the captain came under attack.
UAE President confers the First Class Order of Zayed II on the flydubai crew members involved in September’s in-flight incident, in recognition of their courageous efforts to ensure the safety of passengers. The honours were presented by Hamdan bin Mohammed, who commended the crew’s actions and sense of responsibility.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) October 27, 2026
What Happened Inside Flydubai Aircraft?
The incident took place on a Flydubai flight carrying Israeli passengers to Tel Aviv. The Omani co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami, attacked Captain Machchhar with an emergency axe in an attempt to take control of the aircraft. Machchhar was struck on the back of his head but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter the cockpit and help restrain the attacker.
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One of the passengers briefly took control of the aircraft and helped stabilise it. Stephen and Toth then stepped in and took over the controls. They helped the aircraft make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk.
UAE Honours Pilots And Flight Crew
Earlier on October 28, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on Machchhar and fellow flydubai crew members in recognition of their courageous efforts to ensure passenger safety during an attempted mid-air attack aboard a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight. The pilots were praised for their response during the crisis. Captain Machchhar was especially recognised for his role in confronting the attacker despite suffering serious injuries.
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