An Israeli dentist who was among the passengers who stormed the cockpit of the stricken Flydubai flight has described how he first helped physically overpower the alleged attacker — and then immediately turned his attention to saving the life of the badly wounded captain.

Dr. Shota Musayev was one of the Israelis who rushed forward after hearing screams from the cockpit as the Israel-bound aircraft suddenly began plunging toward the ground.

“I saw that something wasn’t right and I ran forward, I didn’t wait for anyone to call me,” Musayev told Ynet. “I came to fight the terrorist when I heard screams, I didn’t come to provide medical assistance. But after we tied up the terrorist, I treated the stabbed pilot.”

Musayev said he was the only doctor aboard the aircraft.

The captain was lying on the floor with severe bleeding from his head and hands following the stabbing. Musayev worked to stop the bleeding and stabilize him, continuing to treat the wounded pilot until shortly before the aircraft landed.

Despite his condition, the captain remained conscious and communicated with those helping him, telling them that he was 39 years old and the father of two children. He also described how the attacker had stabbed and cursed him.

After the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, the captain was transferred into the care of Saudi medical teams. Musayev said they succeeded in getting him out of immediate danger.

But before Musayev could treat the captain, he and the other passengers first had to win a violent physical struggle against the alleged attacker.

Another passenger who participated in the takedown, Tzvika Mans, said the co-pilot had attempted to put the aircraft on a trajectory directly toward the ground, sending passengers flying through the cabin as screams erupted.

“We took control of him and it took quite a bit of physical violence,” Mans recalled. “He’s a strong man, he was probably on adrenaline.”

Musayev said the suspect continued struggling even after the passengers bound his hands and feet.

“We were four people who took control of the situation, and if not for that, we wouldn’t be talking to you,” Musayev said.

He credited a passenger named Yaniv with being the first to jump on the alleged attacker.

The violent struggle was unfolding as passengers elsewhere aboard the aircraft believed they were living through their final moments.

“We thought we were going to die, one hundred percent,” Musayev recalled. “The plane lost a crazy amount of altitude in half a minute. We started screaming, ‘Bring the pilots,’ and only when one of them entered the cockpit and took control did we understand that we had been saved.”

The aircraft was ultimately brought under control and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

For Musayev, the ordeal meant going in a matter of moments from passenger, to fighter, to emergency physician — first helping stop the man accused of trying to bring down the aircraft and then fighting to save the life of the captain he allegedly stabbed.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)