UAE authorities have formally recognised two pilots who stepped in to take control of a flydubai Boeing 737 after its captain was attacked inside the cockpit, enabling a safe emergency landing.
The incident occurred on September 30 aboard Flight FZ1073 en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly used an emergency axe stored in the cockpit to strike Indian captain Smit Machchhar on the head repeatedly. The captain sustained serious injuries and significant blood loss. During the confrontation, the aircraft descended rapidly by roughly 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds and sustained rudder damage.
Rowan Tooth, a South African pilot, and Henson Steven, a Fijian pilot, were travelling as additional crew members on the flight and were scheduled to operate the return leg. They entered the cockpit, took control of the damaged aircraft, and landed it safely at an airport in Saudi Arabia. Passengers were subsequently transferred to a replacement aircraft for the onward journey to Tel Aviv.
One of the pilots who intervened, Rowan Tooth, is the son of former South African cricketer Barry Tooth, who died last year. Tooth, from Kimberley in South Africa’s Northern Cape, previously flew for Airlink before joining flydubai in 2023. Henson Steven previously served with Fiji Airways.
On October 27, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on Captain Machchhar, Tooth, and Steven in recognition of their actions. Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the awards at the ceremony.
Rowan Tooth, from Kimberley in South Africa’s Northern Cape, previously flew for Airlink before joining flydubai in 2023. He is the son of the late Barry Tooth, a former South African cricketer. Henson Steven previously served with Fiji Airways.
The episode underscores both the severity of the onboard assault and the rapid intervention by the additional crew that prevented further catastrophe.