Two flydubai pilots in passenger cabin helped land plane after cockpit stabbing

A mid-air emergency unfolded on flydubai Flight FZ1073 when the co-pilot stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar, leaving the captain injured and the plane in a steep descent. While the captain lay on the cockpit floor, he managed to open the door, allowing passengers to enter and restrain the assailant. Among the passengers were two flydubai crew members who were on-duty and traveling on the same flight.

After the passengers secured the cockpit, these pilots took the controls and directed the Boeing 737 Max 8 to a safe landing at Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The incident involved four pilots on board, but only two were initially operating the aircraft. flydubai clarified that the crew who assisted were part of the flight’s scheduled crew, not off-duty deadhead staff.