Flydubai horror: Identities of 2 Kenyan cabin crew who helped wounded pilot revealed

A routine flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv descended into a terrifying mid-air ordeal after a violent confrontation in the cockpit left the captain injured and sent the aircraft plunging thousands of feet.

For several terrifying minutes, the aircraft was plunged into chaos as a desperate fight for survival unfolded thousands of feet above the ground.

Days after the harrowing incident that saw the aircraft plunge sharply before making an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, the identities of the two Kenyan crew members have now come to light.

CNN obtained the footage of the incident, with the media house’s Larry Madowo identifying the duo as purser David Kimotho and fellow cabin crew member John Muchina.

The video has brought their contribution into the spotlight during a moment that demanded extraordinary calm.

As the crisis unfolded in Flight FZ1073, the two Kenyan cabin crew members emerged as calm voices in the storm, rushing to attend to the injured captain while helping maintain order inside the aircraft and issuing instructions to passengers.

Their voices, captured in dramatic footage from the flight, could be heard speaking Kiswahili as they checked on the wounded pilot and worked to keep him stable.

The duo can be seen directing passengers to sit down and attempting to maintain calm and order, and assuring passengers that the criss was now under control while at the same time caring for the injured pilot.

They can be heard conversing in Kenyan Swahili as they attended to the wounded captain, with their calm exchanges standing in stark contrast to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding them.

One of the attendants could be heard checking on the pilot, “Cheki kama anaongea, umwongeleshe,” asking a colleague to check whether the pilot was talking and to speak to him.

“Mweke huku chini,” another voice was heard directing others on how to position or support the injured captain as they absorbed the moment and reflected on the chaos.

Flight FZ1073 was carrying 174 people on its journey from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

The Boeing 737 was cruising at high altitude when Captain Smit Machchhar was attacked by his knife-wielding colleague, resulting in a violent confrontation broke out in the cockpit

Despite his injuries and bleeding profusely, he was able to open the door of the cockpit, alerting the cabin crew and other passengers who intervened and overpowered his attacker.