The mystery heroes of Flight FZ1073: two deadheading pilots who saved a falling planeਫਲਾਈਟ ਐੱਫਜ਼ੈਡ1073 ਦੇ ਰਹੱਸਮਈ ਨਾਇਕ: ਡਿੱਗਦੇ ਜਹਾਜ਼ ਨੂੰ ਬਚਾਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਦੋ ਡੈੱਡਹੈਡਿੰਗ ਪਾਇਲਟ

Three days after a Flydubai co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe and tried to crash an Israel-bound flight, the spotlight has shifted to two unidentified pilots who stepped in and almost certainly prevented a catastrophe. The airline has described them only as on-duty crew members who were travelling on the plane — but a passenger’s detailed account to the Associated Press now reveals how close Flight FZ1073 came to disaster.

The Associated Press reported on Saturday that the two men were uniformed crew travelling as “deadheading” pilots — airline crew repositioning on a flight so they can operate a later leg. In this case, they were reportedly on board because they were scheduled to fly the aircraft back from Tel Aviv to Dubai, the only reason they happened to be among the passengers that night.

The mystery pilots

Passenger Daniel Schlichter, who was seated in the second row, gave one of the most detailed accounts yet of what unfolded. He told AP that screaming passengers realised something was wrong in the cockpit — the co-pilot was attacking the captain over and over, with blood everywhere. Despite serious injuries, Captain Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door.

After one passenger grabbed the co-pilot and pulled him out of the cockpit and others grappled with him to subdue him, one of the deadheading pilots hurdled the scrum, reached the pilot’s area and began to take over the controls, Schlichter said. A second travelling pilot joined in, and the two closed the cockpit door so no one else would interfere.

“This is one of the miracles,” Schlichter told the AP. “That not in every flight they bring two extra pilots. In this case, they brought them because they should have brought the plane back from Tel Aviv to Dubai, and this is the only reason they were there.”

Why they remain unnamed

As of Saturday, three days after the September 30 incident, the two pilots still had not been publicly identified. FlyDubai has described them only as on-duty crew members travelling on the aircraft and it is not clear why the airline has not said more.

The flight was carrying 182 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv. It was ultimately stabilised and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the two relief pilots took control.

The account adds to the picture of a night when passengers and crew jointly averted what Israeli officials have described as an apparent terror attack. The UAE prosecutor-general has said the incident and its possible motives are under investigation.

Who are the mystery pilots who saved Flight FZ1073?

They were two uniformed FlyDubai crew members travelling as deadheading pilots — repositioning so they could operate the return leg from Tel Aviv to Dubai. FlyDubai has not publicly identified them.

What did they actually do?

According to passenger Daniel Schlichter’s account to the AP, after passengers pulled the attacking co-pilot out of the cockpit, one of the travelling pilots hurdled into the cockpit and seized the controls, and a second pilot joined him. The two then closed the cockpit door and steadied the aircraft.

Why hasn’t the airline named them?

FlyDubai has only described the two as on-duty crew members travelling on the plane, and it is not clear why the airline has not said more. They remain unidentified in all public reporting so far.