Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Six-Year-Old’s Lavatory Trip Helps Trigger Flydubai Cockpit Rescue
Nina Manes was flying with her parents from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
She asked her mother to take her to the lavatory near the front of the plane.
They heard banging, screams and a struggle near the cockpit.
Nina’s mother warned the crew that someone might be attacking the pilot.
The plane then began dropping quickly, which frightened Nina and her sister.
Their cries led their father and other passengers to rush toward the cockpit.
They helped hold down the alleged attacker while another pilot helped control the aircraft.
A dentist gave the injured captain oxygen and treated his wounds.
The plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia, and investigators are still trying to determine exactly what happened.
Nina Manes and her mother heard screams and a struggle near the cockpit after going toward the forward lavatory.
The Indian captain, Smit Machchaar, was allegedly stabbed by his co-pilot during Flydubai Flight FZ1073.
As the aircraft reportedly descended 17,400 feet in about 90 seconds, Nina’s cries prompted her father and two passengers to enter the cockpit area.
Passengers restrained the alleged attacker while an off-duty pilot helped fly the aircraft to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
A dentist treated Machchaar aboard the plane, while authorities investigated the attack, the co-pilot’s identity and cockpit-security procedures.
- Who
- Flydubai passengers, including Nina Manes and her parents; Captain Smit Machchaar; the alleged co-pilot; an off-duty pilot; and a dentist.
- What
- An alleged cockpit stabbing was followed by a rapid descent, passenger intervention and an emergency landing.
- When
- During Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on Wednesday; the reports do not provide a specific calendar date.
- Where
- The aircraft was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv and landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- Why
- The alleged attack and the circumstances surrounding the co-pilot’s identity and access to the flight remain under investigation.
Passenger Accounts
Officially Unresolved Questions
What happened in the cockpit
Passenger Accounts
Tali Manes said she saw blood and a violent struggle and reported that the co-pilot was stabbing the captain.
Officially Unresolved Questions
Authorities are still investigating the incident, so the passenger account has not been confirmed by completed official findings.
The co-pilot’s nationality and access
Passenger Accounts
Reports described the alleged attacker as Omani, raising questions about how he was assigned to a flight to Israel.
Officially Unresolved Questions
Omani authorities had not confirmed his nationality, while investigators were examining his identity, background and aviation-security procedures.
How the emergency was handled
Passenger Accounts
Passenger accounts credit Nina’s warning, her father and other passengers, an off-duty pilot and a dentist with helping save the flight.
Officially Unresolved Questions
The reports describe these contributions but do not provide a final official assessment of each person’s role.
- Flight
- Flydubai Flight FZ1073
- Route
- Dubai to Tel Aviv
- Passengers
- 174 people were aboard; News18 reported that 166 were Israeli.
- Reported descent
- The aircraft reportedly dropped 17,400 feet in about 90 seconds.
- Emergency landing
- The plane landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- Captain
- Indian pilot Smit Machchaar was seriously injured and treated aboard the aircraft.
- Investigation
- Investigations were reported in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
