A passengers aboard the flydubai flight on which Indian captain Smit Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot have alleged that members of the cabin crew attempted to loosen the accused attacker’s restraints and tried to put a mysterious pill into the injured pilot’s mouth.Speaking to The Jerusalem Post on Sunday, passenger Rajuan said he suspected some crew members may have assisted the attacker, identified as Omani national Hammam al-Hammami. He described confrontations with attendants, their attempts to prevent passengers from filming and exchanges between the crew members and the accused that left him fearing the danger had not passed even after the co-pilot was restrained.According to Rajuan’s account to the Israeli newspaper, crew members repeatedly confronted passengers who tried to record the incident. One attendant allegedly asked him whether he was a police officer. He also described attempts to grab and pull at clothing, adding to his suspicion that the crew’s actions were unusual.The passenger further alleged that the crew tried to loosen al-Hammami’s restraints and attempted to administer an unidentified pill to Machchhar, who had been injured during the alleged attack. Rajuan also claimed that the flight had been staffed exclusively by male attendants, raising questions about whether the accused could have had assistance from within the crew.The claims come amid reports that two Maldivian pilots employed by flydubai have been arrested by UAE police in connection with the investigation. Maldivian news portal Adhadhu reported that the two were taken into custody on October 3 and that their families were informed through the Maldivian Embassy in the UAE. Authorities have not disclosed the allegations against them or confirmed the nature of their suspected links to the incident.Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers and crew members when al-Hammami allegedly attacked Machchhar with an axe in an attempt to seize control of the aircraft. Despite his injuries, the Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene. The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia for an emergency landing.Reports have also suggested that al-Hammami had planned the alleged attack before joining Flydubai and intended to crash the aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. The UAE authorities are investigating the alleged plot, while India’s National Investigation Agency has registered a case under the Anti-Hijacking Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to probe the wider conspiracy.
