The crew of hijacked flydubai flight FZ 1073, bound for Tel Aviv, reportedly demanded that Israeli passengers release a restrained co-pilot who had attacked the aircraft's captain with a crash axe — a standoff that escalated into a tense power struggle at 30,000 feet. The passengers refused, suspecting the crew may have been complicit in the attack.

What Passengers Witnessed

Tzvika Manes, a banking executive and one of three civilians who helped overpower the alleged attacker, described the confrontation in stark terms. 'They were asking us to untie the terrorist — we had no idea why,' he said in an interview with the New York Post.

Real estate professional Daniel Schlichter, seated in the second row near the cockpit, echoed the account. 'They were saying to free the terrorist — we got instantly suspicious of them,' Schlichter told the outlet. The argument intensified until the passengers made clear they would not comply under any circumstances.

'They said, 'You are not God, you are not going to kill him,' Manes recalled, adding: 'We didn't want to kill him, we just wanted him not to kill us.'

How the Incident Unfolded

The crisis began when Indian captain Smit Machchhar — who had been attacked inside the locked cockpit — managed to open the cockpit door and alert those on board. Tali Manes, a passenger standing near a toilet waiting for her daughter, heard a sound she described as 'something knocking on the door' and persuaded a backup pilot travelling on the flight to investigate.

When the cockpit door was opened, those outside witnessed the co-pilot attacking and stabbing the captain. Tali Manes screamed, alerting nearby passengers. Four Israeli passengers immediately rushed to intervene and were soon joined by two off-roster pilots travelling on board, who took control of the aircraft and subsequently landed it at a small airport.

The Civilians Who Acted

Among those who intervened: Yaniv Hayun, a plumber who reportedly choked the co-pilot during the struggle; Asaf Rajuan, an insurance agency owner who helped restrain the attacker; and Zvika Manes, CEO of Bank Leumi's underwriting company, who used earphones to bind the co-pilot's hands behind his back.

The co-pilot was identified as Omani citizen Hamam Al-Hamami. A video shared by i24NEWS, an Israel-based news channel, showed Al-Hamami kneeling inside the aircraft with his hands tied behind his back, his clothes reportedly bearing bloodstains. Passengers could be heard repeatedly saying 'just police' and 'only police', signalling their intention to hand him over to law enforcement — not to harm him. The passengers also provided Al-Hamami with an oxygen mask, saying they wanted him alive for investigation.

'We wanted him to live so he could be investigated,' Schlichter said.

Captain's Condition and Medical Response

Shota Musaev, a dentist who was reportedly the only medical professional on board, attended to the seriously injured Captain Machchhar and provided first aid. Musaev later said the pilot had suffered extensive injuries and was covered in cuts.

Passengers Take Command

When the cabin crew continued to demand passengers return to their seats and vacate the area outside the cockpit, the Israeli passengers — already in control and deeply suspicious — instead instructed crew members to sit in the middle section of the aircraft. 'Now the policy is we're in charge, and you do what we say,' Manes told the crew.

The incident raises serious questions about crew conduct protocols during an in-flight security emergency, and whether standard procedures adequately account for scenarios where passengers have already neutralised a threat. Investigators are expected to examine the crew's actions as part of a broader inquiry into the hijacking attempt.