Questions remain about how a pilot managed to sneak a weapon aboard a plane and stab his fellow pilot before it plunged thousands of feet in mere seconds. The attacker was thwarted by other passengers, and the plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, reports BritPanorama.
Aviatar Alevi, a 17-year-old student, described a scene of chaos aboard the flight, stating, “We were so scared. We didn’t know what was going to happen,” after he and the rest of the passengers were flown to Tel Aviv.
Here is what we know about the incident and how close it came to resulting in tragedy.
What did passengers see?
Alevi recounted people “screaming, running, panicking, blood” during the ordeal. Initially, he believed it was a malfunction but soon realised it involved stabbings. Another passenger, Motti Cohen Or, 70, confirmed hearing a woman shout that “someone is stabbing someone in the cockpit” just before the aircraft dove.
Yaniv Hayun, who was among those who entered the cockpit to subdue the attacker, was seen in a bloody T-shirt recounting the events to reporters. Following the incident, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly thanked Hayun, whom he later identified as a plumber.
Hayun, alongside three others, managed to open the cockpit door despite facing resistance. “I grabbed the attacker, and choked him, pulled him out first,” he explained. They all worked collectively under duress, feeling a mix of fear and determination to regain control of the aircraft.
Who is the hero pilot?
The pilot credited with averting a potential disaster is Indian captain Smit Machchhar, praised by Netanyahu for saving “the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.” Despite sustaining severe injuries, Machchhar unlocked the cockpit door, allowing others to intervene.
The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia reported that Machchhar was admitted to a Tabuk hospital and was “in stable condition.” He has over 9,750 flying hours and previously worked with India’s SpiceJet airline for over 11 years.
Machchhar trained as a pilot in New Zealand and was noted to have performed very well during his training. He later returned to India and worked as a recruiter for the same flight academy.
What about the alleged attacker?
Little information has emerged about the alleged attacker, whose identity remains undisclosed. Two senior U.S. law enforcement officials indicated that the individual is from Oman. Omani authorities have not commented, and requests for information from the Omani Foreign Ministry and embassy in Washington have not been met with responses.
Netanyahu confirmed that the alleged attacker is being investigated in Saudi Arabia following his detention after the flight landed. He suggested that the individual might eventually be transferred to the United Arab Emirates.
Was this an attack?
Initial investigations suggest that this incident may have been an act of terrorism, according to a senior American official and a Saudi Arabian official briefed on the matter. However, the Saudi official noted that the investigation remains in its early stages and no definitive conclusions have been drawn.
The United Arab Emirates, which owns the airline, is scrutinising the nature of the incident, assessing any links to terrorism or premeditation. Netanyahu characterised the event as a “serious security incident.”
Was Iran involved?
There is currently no evidence suggesting Iranian involvement in the attack. U.S. officials and Israeli security corroborate that no connections to Iran have been identified thus far.
Does this alter anything for American flights?
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated there are “no credible threats” to U.S. airlines, underscoring a commitment to safety and ongoing evaluations of existing protocols.
What questions remain?
Key concerns persist regarding the assailant’s background and motivations. Pilots undergo stringent screening processes, and it remains unclear how a weapon was smuggled onboard. Netanyahu mentioned that Machchhar had been stabbed or struck with an axe, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
It is uncertain whether air marshals were present on the flight during the incident.
Saudi Arabia has cautioned against drawing swift conclusions regarding the responsibility for the incident, with investigations by Israel and the UAE underway regarding Flydubai Flight 1073.
