'Untie the terrorist': Crew begged passengers to free flydubai co-pilot after mid-air axe attack

Israeli passengers say flydubai crew asked them to untie a co-pilot after a cockpit attack. UAE prosecutors are investigating the September 30 incident.

Passengers who helped overpower the co-pilot accused of attacking flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar say their ordeal did not end when he was restrained. Two Israelis on flight FZ1073 told the New York Post that cabin crew repeatedly asked them to untie the suspect, a demand they rejected as the aircraft headed for an emergency landing in nearby Saudi Arabia.

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Passengers say crew wanted the restrained co-pilot freed

Tzvika Manes, a banking executive who helped restrain the co-pilot, said the request came after passengers had taken control of the area outside the cockpit. "They were asking us to untie the terrorist -- we had no idea why," Manes told the New York Post.

Daniel Schlichter, a real estate professional seated near the cockpit, gave a similar account. "They were saying to free the terrorist -- we got instantly suspicious of them," he said. The passengers refused and said they would hand the man only to police. Investigators have not accused any cabin crew member of taking part in the attack. Flydubai has declined to comment on the crew's conduct, citing the active investigation. The airline says it is cooperating with authorities and regulators.

Manes said the argument became heated. "They said, 'You are not God; you are not going to kill him,'" he recalled. "We didn't want to kill him; we just wanted him not to kill us." He said the passengers then told crew members to move away from the cockpit area. "We told them, 'Now the policy is we're in charge, and you do what we say.'"

Video showed passengers insisting on a police handover

A short video shared by i24NEWS showed the restrained co-pilot kneeling inside the aircraft with his hands tied behind his back. Passengers could be heard repeating "just police" and "only police". Another passenger could be heard saying, "One hour, 40 minutes. More five minutes," suggesting the suspect had already been held for a long period before landing.

Schlichter said the passengers gave the restrained man an oxygen mask because they wanted him alive for questioning. "We wanted him to live so he could be investigated," he said.

UAE says co-pilot used a crash axe in attempted terrorist act

UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said on October 3 that investigators found the co-pilot had attacked Machchhar inside the flight deck with a crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft. Al Shamsi described the episode as an attempted "terrorist act" and said investigators were examining the motive, any links connected to the case, and physical and digital evidence.

The attacker was identified as the co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national.  The UAE is leading the investigation because the aircraft is registered there and flies under the UAE flag. Israeli investigators are also expected to take part in questioning connected to the case.

Captain opened the cockpit after being attacked

The September 30 flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with more than 170 passengers on board when the cockpit attack took place. Machchhar later said the co-pilot had asked to pray before attacking him from behind. The Indian captain, badly injured and struggling with blurred vision, managed to unlock the cockpit door and alert people outside.

Tali Manes, who was near a toilet with her daughter, said she heard a sound like "something knocking on the door". She asked a pilot travelling as a passenger to check the cockpit. Once the door opened, she saw the attack and screamed, drawing other passengers towards the front of the aircraft.

Yaniv Hayun, Asaf Rajuan and Zvika Manes were among those who moved in to restrain the co-pilot. Manes used earphones to help bind his hands. Two flydubai pilots travelling in the cabin then entered the cockpit and helped regain control of the Boeing 737 before it was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. The two pilots were travelling as deadheading crew, a routine practice in which airline pilots travel as passengers before another assignment.

Shota Musaev, a dentist and reportedly the only doctor on board, treated Machchhar during the flight. He later told the media that the captain had suffered extensive injuries. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority said on October 2 that Machchhar had returned to the UAE, was in good condition and was receiving medical treatment.

Official inquiry is examining the full sequence

Flydubai has confirmed that FZ1073 experienced an incident en route and landed safely in Tabuk, with all passengers accounted for. UAE aviation authorities have praised Machchhar, crew members and passengers who helped bring the aircraft under control. The passenger account about cabin crew asking for the restrained co-pilot to be released has not been confirmed by investigators, and the UAE inquiry has yet to publish its final findings.

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