Dr Shota Musaev, a Georgian dentist living in Israel, was returning from China with his wife when he noticed something unusual two and a half hours into his flydubai flight to Tel Aviv. He was among the first passengers who ran towards the cockpit after an Omani co-pilot attacked flight captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency crash axe with the apparent intent of hijacking and crashing the plane.

Talking to NDTV, Musaev recalled the terrifying moments before the flight landed in Saudi Arabia. He struggled to control the blood gushing from severe stab wounds on Captain Machchhar’s head and hands and said the trauma has bonded the passengers on the fateful flight for life.

He said he rushed toward the cockpit the moment it became clear that something was amiss on board. “I entered the exit. It’s a little [area] before the cockpit. When I came to this area, I saw Smit [Machchhar] on the floor, and the terrorist sitting on the other side. And I remember, I checked everyone, [including] Yaniv [Hayun], who had blood on them,” Musaev said.

Hayun, 50, is being hailed in Israel as a hero after he and three other Israeli passengers managed to subdue the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 before pulling up the jet’s steering control to right it.

Musaev said that after he made sure that everyone else was okay, he started helping Captain Machchhar. “Smith had very, very deep cuts on his hand, in the head. There was so much blood,” he said.

The doctor recalled that the Indian pilot’s pulse was very low by the time help reached him. “[His] pulse was very low. And at one moment, it was very low, and I said to the other men and Yaniv, “We need to elevate his feet”. After that, his pulse was restored.”

According to Musaev, if the flight did not land in Saudi Arabia in time, it might have been difficult to save Captain Machchhar because of the amount of blood he was losing.

“He had deep cuts on his hands and the back of his head. I pressed the wounds with ice [to stop the bleeding], but there was a lot of blood… If we had not gone down in Saudi …I think it was a very difficult situation for Smit,” he said.

It was earlier reported that Flight FZ1073 landed nearly 45 minutes after the cockpit confrontation last week, when Omani co-pilot Hamad al-Hammami stabbed Captain Machcchar.

The doctor also talked about how he kept the pilot conscious, despite massive blood loss and exhaustion, till he passed on his medical care to Saudi health officials after landing at the Tabuk Airport.

“And after the shock, he said to me sometimes he had pain in the head, in the hand… he told me he wanted to live and wanted to go back to his family. We talked about his family, and he told me he was 39 years old and had two children and lived in Dubai.”

“I think in such a moment it’s very, very important for the patient to talk and say something normal,” he added.

The Israeli doctor called Captain Machchhar and his fellow passenger Hayun the true heroes of the moment.

“I think pilot Smit is really a hero… I only did the regular process. The heroes are Smit and Yaniv and everyone on the plane. Smit opened the door after he had deep, very, very deep cuts,” he said.

Gripped by intense emotions, Musaev said he would like to meet Captain Machchhar soon and said the traumatic incident has bonded the passengers for life.

“I think we’re a big family now. Everyone on the plane, Smit and every passenger, we feel our birthdays are on September 30. We have a new life now,” he said.

The Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight was prevented from allegedly crashing after Indian captain Smit Machchhar, who had been attacked with a crash axe, managed to open the cockpit door and alert those on board to the danger.

Within minutes, several passengers, including two off-roster pilots travelling on the flight, intervened and helped regain control of the aircraft, averting what was described as an alleged crash attempt.

The passengers overpowered and restrained the co-pilot, identified as Omani citizen Hamam Al-Hamami, and tied his hands behind his back. They also made it clear that he would remain restrained until he could be handed over to local police.