Flydubai passenger describes reserve pilots after onboard incident

Israeli dentist Shota Musayev, who helped aboard a Flydubai flight on September 30, told RIA Novosti about meeting one of the reserve pilots after landing. He believed the pilots were from New Zealand and South Africa, but the report contained no official confirmation of their citizenship.

In the interview published on October 9, Musayev said the reserve pilots spoke English. After landing, he addressed one of them in Russian, but the pilot said he did not know the language. They continued in English. The language used in a conversation does not by itself establish citizenship.

On October 8, President Isaac Herzog honoured Musayev and five other Israeli passengers for civilian heroism. J-Wire also reported the ceremony. Those honoured included Yaniv Hayoun, who had previously described intervening in the cockpit. His account of his actions is testimony from a participant.

The aircraft was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the incident prompted an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Flydubai confirmed an altercation between pilots aboard the flight. Two reserve pilots helped land the aircraft.

Authorities in the UAE are investigating. On October 9, prosecutors said the co-pilot intended to seize the controls and fly into an Israeli airport's passenger terminal, AP reported. That is an investigative statement. The account of the alleged motive and circumstances of the attack is not a court verdict.