Co-pilot who stabbed Flydubai captain begged 'kill me,' rescuer says

A co-pilot who stabbed the captain of a Flydubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv repeatedly begged for his own death after being subdued by passengers, according to a dentist who helped in the rescue.

During the flight at 34,000 feet, the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a knife, critically wounding him as he defended the aircraft's controls. Passengers managed to overpower the assailant and tie him up. The plane, carrying 174 passengers, landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Shota Musaev, a Georgian Jewish dentist who was on board with his wife and children, described rushing to the aid of the severely wounded captain. "The pilot was losing a lot of blood," Musaev said. "His arm was badly slashed, as was his neck, and he had a very deep wound at the back of his head. Everything in the cockpit was covered in blood, but he was conscious. We were effectively left without first-aid supplies. Somehow, we managed to stop the bleeding with pieces of cloth."

Musaev recounted that as he and other passengers restrained the attacker, the man pleaded, "Kill me."

Captain Machchhar also pleaded for help, saying, "Save me. I don't want to die here." Musaev noted that the pilot's ability to open the cockpit door allowed passengers to intervene, preventing what he described as a potential "September 11" scenario.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the co-pilot had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and appeared to be suicidal. "We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination. That appears to be something we are gathering from his personal information," Netanyahu told Fox News.

Two Israeli security officials indicated that their initial assessment suggests the co-pilot, identified as an Omani national, acted alone, though investigations are ongoing. The flight reportedly plunged more than 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds during the incident.

The United Arab Emirates has launched an investigation into the circumstances and motives behind the attack. Israel's envoy to the UAE, Yossi Shelley, said it was too early to determine a motive. Israeli intelligence services, Mossad and Shin Bet, are also investigating.

Musaev also praised his wife's composure and assistance to other passengers during the traumatic event. "My wife usually gets frightened quite easily, but at that moment she found tremendous strength and was helping absolutely everyone there, every single person," he said.

A reserve crew aboard the flight landed the aircraft in Saudi Arabia. Omani authorities have not yet commented on the incident.