Dr. Shota Musayev was among the passengers who rushed toward the cockpit after screams erupted aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, Sept. 30. But the Israeli dentist soon found himself treating the badly wounded captain, Smit Machchhar, after an alleged cockpit attack sent the aircraft into a dramatic emergency.

Musayev was traveling back to Israel from China when the incident unfolded aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073. He said he immediately ran toward the cockpit after hearing screams and realizing something was wrong.

"When I heard screaming, after 10 seconds I ran — I didn't wait," Musayev told The Times of Israel after arriving at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

"When I came into the cockpit, the pilot was in real bad shape, with heavy bleeding, particularly from his head."

"I was the only doctor on the plane, and eventually I managed to stop the bleeding and stabilize his blood pressure," he says.

As the only doctor aboard the aircraft, Musayev began providing emergency medical assistance. He said he managed to stop the bleeding and stabilize the captain's blood pressure.

Musayev also said Machchhar was conscious enough to communicate with those around him and told passengers that the other pilot had stabbed him.

How Did the Flydubai Cockpit Attack Unfold?

The incident happened aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers aboard. According to Reuters and AP, a confrontation broke out between the two pilots, with the co-pilot allegedly attacking Machchhar. The aircraft subsequently experienced a rapid descent of nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, prompting fears among passengers that the plane could crash.

Passengers then rushed toward the cockpit and helped overpower the attacker. Musayev was among those who intervened. He told reporters that passengers understood they had only seconds to act and feared another attacker could potentially be aboard the aircraft.

After the attacker was restrained, Musayev turned his attention to the injured captain.

What Happened to Captain Smit Machchhar?

Machchhar was identified as an Indian national and the captain of the Flydubai flight. He was seriously injured during the cockpit confrontation and was taken to a hospital after the aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar has been reported to have more than 13 years of aviation experience. He joined Flydubai in 2022 after spending about 11 years with SpiceJet, and his professional profile lists thousands of hours flying Boeing 737 aircraft.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later praised Machchhar, saying the injured captain had fought back and helped passengers and crew members overpower the attacker.

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Machchhar was receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Tabuk. Local reports also said that he was in a stable condition after undergoing surgery.

Shota Musayev Says Passengers Thought They Were Going to Die

Musayev described the moments during the aircraft's rapid descent as extremely frightening. In comments reported after the passengers returned to Israel, he said the aircraft lost an "incredible amount" of altitude in a very short period and that passengers believed they might not survive.

He said the passengers acted instinctively rather than having time to formulate a plan.

"At that moment, you don't think, you just act," Musayev said, according to a report recounting his interview. He also credited several passengers with helping bring the situation under control.

Where Is Dr. Shota Musayev Now?

Musayev returned to Israel with the other passengers and spoke to reporters at Ben Gurion Airport on Sept. 30. Despite having been involved in a frightening midair emergency and providing emergency treatment to an injured pilot, Musayev's immediate priority appeared to be returning home to his family.

"Now I just want to go home and hug my children," he told The Times of Israel.