Two mystery pilots who saved Flydubai flight revealed after UAE honors
Henson Steven of Fiji and Rowan Tooth of South Africa were aboard for the return flight when an Omani co-pilot attacked the captain with an axe; Israeli passengers restrained the attacker, allowing the pair to land the damaged jet in Saudi Arabia
Henson Steven, a pilot from Fiji, and Rowan Tooth, a pilot from South Africa, were among the two pilots who safely landed a damaged Flydubai plane in Saudi Arabia after a terror attack. The incident occurred on September 30, 2023, when the co-pilot attacked the captain during the flight. Both Steven and Tooth were on board as extra crew members, ready to fly the return leg of the trip.
Their courageous actions in landing the plane led to their commendation with the UAE's highest civilian award, the First Class Order of Zayed II, given by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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