A passenger who helped save the seriously wounded captain of Flydubai flight FZ1073 has described the terrifying moments inside the aircraft, including his claim that the restrained co-pilot repeatedly asked passengers to kill him.
Georgian Jewish dentist Shota Musaev was travelling with his wife and children when violence erupted aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, forcing passengers and crew into an extraordinary struggle to regain control of the aircraft.
The Boeing 737 ultimately landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after Captain Smit Machchhar was seriously injured during an altercation with his co-pilot. The UAE has opened an investigation to establish the circumstances and motive, including whether the incident was connected to terrorist activity.
Passenger Recalls Sudden Plunge and Screams From Cockpit
Musaev said the journey had been proceeding normally before the aircraft suddenly began descending sharply.
Initially believing the movement was turbulence, he began recording on his phone. Moments later, he said, shouting erupted from the front of the aircraft and he heard a woman screaming about a knife.
Realizing that something serious was happening, Musaev left his seat and joined other passengers moving toward the cockpit.
Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft lost more than 14,000 feet of altitude in less than 30 seconds during the incident.
Passengers Drag Co-Pilot From Cockpit
According to Musaev, several men reached the cockpit and managed to pull the alleged attacker out.
The group then restrained him, binding his hands and feet to prevent him from returning to the controls.
Musaev said the co-pilot said little after being subdued except to plead with the passengers to kill him.
Footage from inside the aircraft reportedly showed the bloodied and restrained man on the cabin floor while the injured captain received assistance.
Saudi authorities later said their initial investigation found that the co-pilot had attacked the captain. Both men were subsequently transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE after receiving medical clearance.
Captain Pleads With Dentist to Save His Life
Once the alleged attacker had been restrained, Musaev turned his attention to Machchhar.
The dentist described finding the captain conscious but suffering significant blood loss from multiple injuries.
According to Musaev, Machchhar pleaded with him to save his life and said he did not want to die aboard the aircraft.
Musaev said there were few suitable medical supplies available, forcing those helping the captain to improvise with pieces of cloth as they attempted to control his bleeding until proper medical treatment became available.
Injured Captain’s Decision to Open Door Proved Crucial
Machchhar’s ability to unlock the cockpit despite his injuries has emerged as one of the pivotal moments in accounts of the incident.
The wounded captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene and overpower the co-pilot, according to Israeli officials and other accounts of the incident.
Musaev said he believed the consequences could have been catastrophic had the passengers remained locked outside.
He compared the potential disaster to the September 11 attacks in the United States, arguing that opening the cockpit gave passengers the opportunity they needed to intervene.
His comparison reflects his personal assessment of what might have happened; investigators have not yet announced a final determination of the co-pilot’s intentions.
Dentist Praises Wife’s Response During Crisis
Musaev also credited his wife with providing emotional support to frightened passengers during the emergency.
He said she would normally be easily frightened but displayed extraordinary composure as events unfolded around her.
According to Musaev, other passengers later praised the assistance she provided during the ordeal.
Reflecting on the experience, he became emotional while recalling the moment he left his family to move toward the cockpit.
He said he effectively said goodbye to his wife before going forward because he did not know whether he would return.
Reserve Crew Lands Aircraft in Saudi Arabia
After the alleged attacker was subdued and the aircraft stabilized, other pilots travelling aboard the flight assumed responsibility for bringing the plane down safely.
A reserve crew eventually landed FZ1073 at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. More than 170 passengers were aboard the aircraft.
Machchhar was removed from the aircraft for medical treatment after landing.
The Indian captain has subsequently received praise from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his actions during the emergency.
Netanyahu Claims Co-Pilot Had Been Radicalised
Netanyahu has alleged that information gathered about the co-pilot indicated he had undergone Islamist radicalisation and appeared to have been suicidal.
The Israeli prime minister said the available information suggested an intention to bring down the aircraft, although he also acknowledged that investigators had not reached their final conclusions.
Israeli officials have identified the co-pilot as an Omani national and said their preliminary assessment suggested he acted alone.
Omani authorities had not publicly commented on those claims, while the attacker’s nationality had not been independently confirmed by Oman, Flydubai or UAE authorities in the immediate aftermath.
UAE Investigation Examines Possible Terrorism Link
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates are conducting an investigation into what happened aboard FZ1073.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered investigators to determine the circumstances, details and motive behind the incident.
The investigation will specifically examine whether the attack had any connection to terrorist activity, whether it was planned in advance and whether anyone else directed or participated in it.
UAE authorities have also urged the public and media not to circulate unverified information while investigators establish the facts.
Israeli Officials Say Motive Has Not Been Established
Despite Netanyahu’s comments, other Israeli officials have cautioned against reaching definitive conclusions.
Israel’s envoy to the UAE, Yossi Shelley, said it remained too early to determine the motive behind the incident.
Israeli intelligence agencies Mossad and Shin Bet have also been examining the case, while officials said the initial Israeli assessment was that the co-pilot probably acted alone.
The investigation therefore continues to distinguish confirmed events aboard the aircraft from claims about what motivated the attack.
Dramatic Intervention Prevents Potential Catastrophe
What has been established is that an extraordinary confrontation unfolded aboard a commercial passenger aircraft thousands of feet above Saudi Arabia.
The captain was attacked, the aircraft entered a rapid descent, passengers and crew gained access to the cockpit and the co-pilot was restrained before another crew brought the jet safely to the ground.
For Musaev, the experience remains intensely personal.
Beyond helping restrain the alleged attacker, he found himself providing emergency care to a badly injured pilot while his own wife and children remained aboard an aircraft whose fate was still uncertain.
His account adds another perspective to an incident now under international investigation — and to the actions of passengers, crew and Captain Machchhar that helped more than 170 people reach the ground safely.
