Pilots Honored for Foiling Flydubai Terror Plot
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Two pilots, Rowan Tooth from South Africa and Henson Steven from Fiji, have been identified for their role in foiling a terror attack on Flydubai Flight 1073 on September 30. They intervened when co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar. Passengers also assisted in subduing the attacker. The crew members, including Captain Machchhar and two Kenyan crew members, were recently honored with the Order of Zayed II in the UAE for their courage.
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- Pilots Rowan Tooth and Henson Steven were honored for preventing a terror attack on Flydubai Flight 1073.
- Co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with an axe on the flight to Tel Aviv.
- Passengers, including Yaniv Hayun, helped subdue the co-pilot and stabilize the aircraft.
- The crew, including Machchhar, Tooth, Steven, David Kimotho, and John Muchina, received the UAE's Order of Zayed II.
- Captain Machchhar sustained severe head injuries during the September 30th incident.
- Rowan Tooth is the son of a notable South African sports figure, Barry Tooth.
Six weeks after a dramatic incident aboard Flydubai Flight 1073, the identities of two pilots who intervened have been revealed. Rowan Tooth from South Africa and Henson Steven from Fiji were recognized for their bravery in preventing a terror attack. The two, along with the original captain, Smit Machchhar, were honored in Dubai for their actions on September 30. The Boeing 737 was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami from Oman, attacked Captain Machchhar with an emergency axe, striking his head repeatedly. Despite severe injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door from the inside. He recounted that al-Hammami asked to pray together before assaulting him.
Passengers, mostly Israelis, realized something was wrong in the cockpit. Several passengers, including Yaniv Hayun, Assaf Rajuan, Tzvika Manes, and Shota Musaev, confronted the attacker. Hayun, a plumber and fan of aviation disaster shows, recognized the plane was descending and pulled the controls. Tooth and Steven, who were on board as additional crew for the return flight, then took control of the aircraft and stabilized it.
Recently, Tooth, Steven, Machchhar, and two other crew members, David Kimotho and John Muchina from Kenya, were awarded the Order of Zayed II, first class, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The UAE government stated the high national honor recognized their exceptional courage, swift action, and professionalism during the life-threatening crisis. Captain Machchhar attended the ceremony with his arm in a sling and visible head injuries. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan inquired about his recovery, joking about training him to fight, to which Machchhar responded with gratitude.
Further details emerged about Rowan Tooth, with a South African newspaper reporting he hails from Kimberley and is the son of the late Barry Tooth, a well-known sports figure in the region. This has brought pride to his hometown and the South African sports and aviation communities. Little is known about Henson Steven beyond his origin from Fiji and previous employment with Fiji Airways.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the UAE President, stated on X that the award was a national acknowledgment of the crew's bravery, emphasizing that "the protection of human life is the highest duty."
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