The co-pilot who allegedly tried to crash a flydubai aircraft carrying 174 passengers attacked his colleague, Indian national Smit Machchhar, by stabbing him or striking him with an axe, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
The incident took place on Wednesday when the co-pilot attacked the pilot, causing the aircraft to lose nearly 14,000 feet (4,267 m) in less than 30 seconds. Follow live updates related to flydubai incident here.
Passengers travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed safely after the injured Indian pilot and passengers thwarted the co-pilot’s alleged attempt to crash the plane, officials said.
Indian pilot was attacked with axe?
In an interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity, which aired on Wednesday night, Netanyahu said the attacker may have struck the captain with an axe.
Notably, airlines are usually required to keep crash axes in the cockpit for emergencies. These can be used to break windows for escape or open panels to reach a fire, news agency AP reported.
“On a flight from Dubai to Israel, 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 axe. He was bleeding profusely,” Netanyahu said.
A pilot flying in the region, who does not work for flydubai, told news agency Reuters that pilots could have access to metal knives used for meal service or a crash axe, which is commonly kept in cockpits.
However, passengers on the flight said a man was holding a knife while one of the pilots was lying injured and covered in blood.
Israel is known for having strict airline security procedures. Passengers travelling to the country are routinely questioned and their baggage searched after completing standard airport security checks, reports said. It remains unclear whether the pilots aboard the flydubai flight underwent the same level of screening.
Co-pilot arrested, investigation underway: Netanyahu
Netanyahu said the co-pilot, who is suspected to be an Omani national, was arrested. Authorities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have made a few public statements, apart from confirming that investigations are underway.
He told Fox News, “We’ll get to the root of this attacker, whether he had accomplices,” but said it was “too early to say” when asked about possible Iranian involvement.
Machchhar, who was stabbed during the incident, was taken to the hospital after the aircraft landed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump later praised him as a “hero”.
The confrontation in the flight began when the co-pilot stabbed the pilot, sending the aircraft plunging nearly 14,000 feet (4,267 m) in less than 30 seconds.
Passengers and crew members entered the cockpit and overpowered the co-pilot. This allowed a second pair of flydubai pilots who were travelling on the same flight to take control and land the aircraft safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, according to Israeli officials.
With inputs from agencies
