Pilots Who Thwarted Flydubai Attack Revealed
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
The identities of the two pilots who prevented a suicide attack on a Flydubai flight have been revealed as Rowan Toth, a South African, and Hanson Stephen, a Fijian. The Omani pilot, Al-Hamami, attempted to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport. He confessed to planning the attack since 2017, inspired by 9/11. The pilots' actions averted disaster, and the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- South African Rowan Toth and Fijian Hanson Stephen are the pilots who stopped a Flydubai suicide attack.
- The Omani pilot, Al-Hamami, attempted to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport.
- Al-Hamami confessed to planning the attack since 2017, inspired by the 9/11 attacks.
- The flight's captain, Smith Macher, was seriously injured in the struggle.
- The plane made a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The identities of the two pilots who heroically prevented a suicide attack on a Flydubai flight have been revealed five days after the President of the United Arab Emirates honored them with bravery awards. South African and Fijian media outlets published the names of the pilots who took control of the cockpit and safely landed the plane after an Omani pilot, identified as Al-Hamami, attempted to crash it into Ben Gurion Airport. The revelation came after photos from the UAE government's award ceremony were published, allowing acquaintances and media in their home countries to identify them. The first pilot is Rowan Toth, a South African from Kimberley, and the second is Hanson Stephen, a Fijian citizen. Their quick actions averted a major aviation and security disaster. The flight's Indian captain, Smith Macher, was seriously injured during the struggle with the attacker, who was neutralized after the co-pilot assaulted him with an emergency axe and tried to seize control. The UAE is continuing its investigation into the attempted attack. The Attorney General of the UAE, Dr. Hamad Saif Al-Shamsi, revealed that Al-Hamami confessed to planning the crash attempt since 2017, when he lived in Australia. He used his official role on previous flights to Israel to gather intelligence on flight paths and procedures, intending to replicate the September 11th attacks by crashing into Ben Gurion Airport's passenger terminal. Al-Hamami was inspired by the 9/11 attacks and chose an aviation career with this goal. The Attorney General stated that the Omani terrorist will face the harshest possible punishment. The aircraft was diverted for an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia and landed safely.
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