Two Kenyan cabin crew members have been praised for their calm response after a Flydubai captain was stabbed during a terrifying mid-air incident that sent the aircraft into a steep descent.
The Kenyan flight attendants were aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30, when the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit.
As passengers and other crew members responded to the cockpit emergency, the two Kenyan attendants attended to the injured captain inside the cabin.
Footage from the aircraft captured the attendants speaking in Swahili as they checked on Machchhar, who had suffered serious stab wounds during the confrontation.
One of the women can be heard saying, “Mwangalie kama anaongea,” meaning, “Check if he’s talking.”
Another attendant is heard saying, “Muekee huku chini,” meaning, “Put him down here.”
The footage has drawn attention in Kenya because of the attendants’ apparent composure while the aircraft remained in the middle of a potentially catastrophic emergency.
The attendants’ actions came moments after the cockpit confrontation left Machchhar seriously wounded.
According to reports, the aircraft entered a rapid descent after the attack. Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to activate the cockpit-door release, allowing people outside the flight deck to enter. Passengers and other crew members then moved into the cockpit and helped overpower the attacker.
The Kenyan attendants’ role was different but equally important in the unfolding emergency.
They focused on the wounded captain as other people worked to regain control of the aircraft.
Their recorded conversation shows them assessing whether Machchhar could respond and helping organise his position on the cabin floor.
The emergency began when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar while the Boeing 737 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The aircraft subsequently lost a significant amount of altitude in a matter of seconds, creating panic among those on board.
Passenger Tali Manes later described hearing unusual sounds from the cockpit before alerting a flight attendant.
“I screamed, ‘He’s stabbing the pilot, he’s stabbing the pilot, come help!’” Manes recalled, according to The Times of Israel.
Machchhar eventually managed to open the cockpit door despite his injuries.
That gave passengers and crew members an opportunity to enter the flight deck and restrain the attacker.
The aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities detained the suspected attacker after the emergency landing, while Machchhar received medical treatment.
The captain, an Indian national, has since received widespread praise for managing to open the cockpit door despite his injuries.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both praised Machchhar and those who helped prevent the aircraft from crashing.
Netanyahu also praised the passengers who intervened, while Hayoun emerged as one of the most prominent figures in accounts of the incident after helping wrestle the attacker away from the controls.
