The Zioneer Intelligence Desk on Tuesday stated that Captain Smit Machchhar was attacked by a radical Islamist terrorist using an emergency axe aboard a Boeing 737, and said he deserves a medal for his bravery.
The Zioneer Intelligence Desk on Tuesday called for Captain Smit Machchhar to receive a bravery medal, stating that he was attacked by a radical Islamist terrorist using an emergency crash axe aboard a Boeing 737. The desk's statement described the attack as an attempted mass-murder and hailed the captain's courage in subduing the assailant.
The call comes as the full story of the attempted hijacking of Flydubai flight FZ 1073 on September 30 has emerged. As The Zioneer reported, the Omani co-pilot attacked Captain Machchhar with the cockpit axe, disabled the autopilot, and shut down both engines, sending the aircraft into a dive. Passengers and off-duty pilots subdued the attacker and restarted the engines, diverting the plane to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Machchhar sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized. On October 5, The Zioneer reported that he was out of danger, according to journalist Neria Kraus.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Machchhar on October 3 and invited him to light a torch at Israel's Independence Day ceremony. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, also visited him in the hospital and praised his heroism. The Zioneer has covered the investigation, including an Italian report detailing the attack sequence and evidence of the co-pilot's radicalization. The desk's statement adds to the recognition for the captain's actions, which averted a potential catastrophe.
7 developments
- StrongThe Zioneer names the five individuals who subdued a cockpit attacker midair
- StrongFlydubai, UAE authorities confirm co-pilot attacked captain with crash axe
- StrongDubai Crown Prince tells Flydubai captain: 'We are proud that he is part of our team'
- StrongFlydubai passengers tell New York Post: crew asked us to release terrorist co-pilot
Source and signal
- Open-source intake