{
  "id": 11232758,
  "title": "'Worst nightmare': Passenger recalls fight to save flydubai flight after cockpit attack",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/worst-nightmare-passenger-recalls-fight-to-save-flydubai-flight-after",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T15:04:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/10/01/very-very-scary-passenger-recalls-fight-to-save-flydubai-flight-after-cockpit-attack/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A family in the front row of flydubai flight FZ1073 bore witness to a harrowing knife attack during the plane's journey to Tel Aviv. The attack occurred while the Manes family, including an investment banker, his wife, and their three daughters, were en route from Tokyo to Tel Aviv. The incident took place approximately an hour before their scheduled arrival. Mrs. Manes, the first to notice the commotion in the cockpit, alerted others to the unfolding tragedy. The captain, engaged in a struggle with the attacker, managed to partially open the cabin door, allowing passengers to intervene and assist the crew in stabilizing the aircraft. Israeli passengers and a standby pilot played crucial roles in subduing the attacker, who had been attempting to damage critical cockpit systems. As the Boeing 737 plummeted 14,000ft in just 30 seconds, passengers and crew worked together to create a safety zone around the incapacitated captain, who required immediate medical attention. Despite the chaos, the crew managed to administer first aid, providing the captain with oxygen and stabilizing him until professional medical help arrived. The Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, is now being treated in a hospital, hailed as a hero for his efforts in saving the lives of 174 passengers. The incident has shaken the passengers, causing trauma for the Manes family, particularly the children. Authorities in the UAE are investigating the possibility that the attack may have been linked to terrorist activity.",
  "summary": "A family sitting in the front row of the flydubai flight FZ1073 witnessed the chilling scenes as the captain attempted to fend off a knife attack when the plane was bound for Tel Aviv. Tzvika Manes, an investment banker, his wife and their three daughters, aged 11, seven and six, were on a connecting flight as part of their Tokyo to Tel Aviv route when the attack took place. Mr Manes’s wife heard…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "‘Very, very scary’: Passenger recalls fight to save flydubai flight after cockpit attack",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/very-very-scary-passenger-recalls-fight-to-save-flydubai-flight-after",
        "published": "2026-10-01T15:04:18.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}