A flydubai pilot’s mayday call was rejected by Saudi Arabian air traffic control during an attempted hijacking, forcing the wounded captain’s rescuers to seek emergency clearance from two countries before finally landing.
Flight Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was stabbed repeatedly in the head, arm and torso by his own co-pilot during flydubai Flight 1073’s Wednesday journey toward Israel, Israeli officials said. Blood covered the cockpit floor as the veteran pilot lost control of the aircraft, which plunged approximately 18,000 feet.
Passengers stormed the cockpit to subdue the attacker and stabilize the jetliner, according to multiple reports. Off-duty pilots among the travelers took the controls as screaming echoed through the cabin.
An unidentified person on the plane issued a desperate “Mayday” call to Saudi Arabia’s air traffic control office, one source who heard the transmission said. The caller reported an attempted hijacking and requested ambulances on the ground.
Those in the air traffic control office could hear passengers screaming in the background as the impromptu crew fought to regain proper altitude, the source said. Despite the emergency plea, Saudi authorities denied landing permission and redirected the aircraft toward Jordanian airspace.
The pilots were then allegedly told to await landing clearance from Jordan’s military. Several minutes later, Jordan turned the plane away as well.
Forced to divert back toward Saudi Arabia, the crew requested landing permission a second time. Authorities finally granted clearance to proceed to Tabuk Airport. The air traffic controllers provided no explanation for the initial rejection, the source added.
The co-pilot, who has not been publicly identified, launched the attack in an apparent attempt to bring down the plane, Israeli officials said.
The aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, and Machchhar was rushed to a hospital for treatment. Indian officials confirmed that the veteran pilot is now in stable condition.
The passengers were later provided a rescue flight that landed in Tel Aviv hours after the ordeal.
Flydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, has not publicly addressed the denied landing clearances or the co-pilot’s motive.