An Israel-based dentist who was among the passengers on flydubai Flight FZ1073 has recalled the frantic 45-minute effort to save Captain Smit Machchhar after he was attacked in the cockpit during the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.
asserted
he → base → flight
Dr Shota Musaev to ABC News that he rushed towards the cockpit after hearing screams and found Machchhar seriously injured and bleeding.
asserted
Machchhar → rush → screams
Musaev said Machchhar had deep cuts to his head and left hand.
asserted
Machchhar → say → head
He used T-shirts to press against the wounds and asked cabin crew for ice.
asserted
He → use → ice
“He had very, very deep cuts and we needed many ice packets,” Musaev told The National.
asserted
Musaev → have → National
“But every time I opened the T-shirt to check the bleeding, it would bleed more.
asserted
it → open → bleeding
So I pressed not very hard and with ice.
asserted
I → press → ice
All through the 45 minutes I kept the pressure on.”
asserted
I → keep → pressure
Musaev also tried to keep the injured captain conscious, telling him, "Please don't sleep, we need you," asking how many children he had and their names, and repeating, "Don't be afraid, you will go back to your family, we are landing soon."
asserted
we → try → family
Machchhar told Musaev he wanted to live and complained of severe pain.
asserted
he → tell → pain
I want to live.
asserted
I → want → ?
I don't want to die here," he said.
asserted
he → want → ?
At one point, Machchhar's pulse dropped sharply.
asserted
pulse → drop → point
Musaev raised his feet and said his pulse recovered.
asserted
pulse → raise → feet
When the captain's lips turned blue, Musaev told a steward, "We need to land quickly.
asserted
We → turn → steward
He doesn't have much more time."
asserted
He → have → time
He said he decided against giving Machchhar painkillers because of the heavy bleeding.
asserted
he → say → bleeding
"He was lying on his back and I hesitated to lift him because I didn't want re-bleeding," Musaev said.
asserted
Musaev → lie → him
"It was dangerous to move him or give him medicines."
asserted
It → move → medicines
Passengers turned rescuers
Musaev was among the passengers who helped restrain the co-pilot after the attack, telling Ynet, "There were a few brave people there.
asserted
who → turn → Ynet
We took control of the attacker and tied him up.
asserted
We → take → him
Of course it was difficult, but we managed."
asserted
we → manage → ?
The passengers used headphone cables to restrain his hands and legs as he continued struggling.
asserted
he → use → hands
"I came to fight the attacker when I heard the screams.
asserted
I → come → screams
I didn't come to provide medical treatment, but after we tied him up, I treated the stabbed pilot," Musaev said.
asserted
Musaev → come → pilot
Two standby pilots then entered the cockpit with a passenger to help steady the aircraft, while other passengers remained alert in case there were further threats.
asserted
passengers → enter → case
"We were at the plane exit, in front of the cockpit, and every time we scanned the area, we were worried there may be more terrorists on the plane," Musaev said.
uncertain
Musaev → scan → plane
A group of passengers continued watching the cabin until the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia.
asserted
aircraft → continue → Arabia
Passengers initially feared the aircraft was crashing after it rapidly lost altitude.
asserted
it → fear → altitude
"We thought we were going to die, 100%," Musaev told Ynet.
asserted
Musaev → think → Ynet
"The plane lost an insane amount of altitude in half a minute."
asserted
plane → lose → minute
He added, "We saw the pilots and started screaming, 'Bring the pilots.'
asserted
We → add → pilots
Then when one of them went into the cockpit and took control, we understood that we had survived."
asserted
we → go → control
The aircraft diverted to Tabuk, where Machchhar was handed over to doctors.
asserted
Machchhar → divert → doctors
Musaev later learnt that the captain had survived and was out of danger, recalling that he told Machchhar, "Good luck my friend.
asserted
he → learn → luck
He added, "Smit saved our lives.
asserted
Smit → add → lives
Smit is a hero and I thank him for everything he did to save my family, all the passengers," before calling it karma: "He saved our lives and we saved his life."
asserted
we → thank → life
What happened on FZ1073
Flight FZ1073 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 with 174 passengers and crew on board when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a crash axe.
uncertain
pilot → happen → axe
UAE attorney general Hamad Al Shamsi has described the incident as an “attempted terrorist attack”.
asserted
Shamsi → describe → attack
Authorities said the co-pilot tried to take control of the aircraft after attacking the captain.
asserted
pilot → say → captain
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
