Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar described a Sept. 30 cockpit attack that wounded him before two pilots traveling aboard landed the aircraft, as a passenger separately claimed he pulled back on its controls.
In an interview published by The National, Machchhar said his co-pilot struck him with an emergency axe. He said he freed himself from his seat belt, tried to shield himself from the blows and worked to open the cockpit door so others could help. His account focuses on surviving the assault and does not establish who handled the controls afterward.
Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber, told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he helped restrain the attacker and pulled back on the controls as the aircraft descended. The Israeli president's office named Hayoun among the passengers who intervened. His account of touching the controls remains his own claim.
United Arab Emirates prosecutors allege that the co-pilot intended to seize the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight and crash it into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport. The attorney general said passengers, a cabin crew member and a pilot assigned to the aircraft's return trip restrained the co-pilot. That pilot and another pilot due to fly the return leg took over and landed the aircraft at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Flydubai said all 172 people aboard, including passengers and crew, survived. The airline said it had suspended flights to and from Israel.
Prosecutors said hiring checks had not revealed the suspect's alleged extremist views. Investigators said he drew inspiration from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. They are reviewing recordings and technical reports but have given no date for further findings.
