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Saudi Arabia and Jordan initially rejected landing clearance for the flydubai flight facing a terrorist hijacking attempt despite a terrifying mayday call from the cabin, according to multiple reports.
After the heroic passengers stormed the cockpit to rescue the pilot from his treacherous first officer, a trembling voice was heard asking Saudi Arabia’s air traffic control office for permission to land, one source who heard the call told the Associated Press.
The unidentified person on the plane reported the attempted hijacking via a “Mayday” call, informing authorities that ambulances would be needed on the ground.
Flight Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was seriously wounded in the attack, having been stabbed in the head, arm and torso. His blood littered the floor of the cockpit.
Those inside the air traffic control office could hear passengers screaming in the background as those on the plane rushed to get it back in the proper altitude after it plunged some 18,000 feet.
Despite the plea to land, the off-duty pilots who took control of the plane were instead denied permission and redirected to Jordan airspace, the source said.
The plane was then allegedly told to wait for landing clearance from Jordan’s military before being turned away several minutes later.
The pilots were forced to divert back to Saudi Arabia and asked to land again, with authorities finally giving permission to head toward Tabuk Airport.
The air traffic controllers gave no reason for why the first request was denied, the source added.
Flydubai Flight 1073 was en route to Israel on Wednesday when its co-pilot, who has yet to be publicly named, attacked Machchhar in an attempt to bring down the plane, Israeli officials said.
The plane landed safely in Tabuk, and Machchhar was rushed to the hospital for treatment, with Indian officials confirming that the veteran pilot is in stable condition.
The passengers were provided a rescue flight and landed in Tel Aviv hours after the incident.
