It began with a violent struggle in the cockpit and a sudden plunge that left passengers screaming and children crying.Flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying 174 persons from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was cruising at about 34,000 feet when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar, stabbing the Indian pilot and sending the aircraft into a dive.Flight-tracking data showed the Boeing 737 losing more than 16,000 feet in about 35 seconds, with its speed surging towards 700 mph.Seriously wounded and bleeding, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door. That single act opened the way for passengers and crew to rush in.Yaniv Hayoun, an Israeli passenger and a plumber by profession, was among those who entered. He grabbed the attacker in a chokehold and dragged him away from the controls.According to reports, Hayoun said he pulled back on the aircraft’s controls in an attempt to arrest the dive. He later told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he had learnt about such emergencies from television documentaries.Others joined the struggle and helped restrain the attacker.Among them was Dr Shota Musaev, a dentist who was travelling on the flight. He rushed to Machchhar, who was lying on the cockpit floor with severe injuries and had lost a large amount of blood.Musaev provided emergency treatment and later said the pilot’s condition was so critical that even a short delay could have proved fatal. He also helped restrain the attacker using headphone cords and zip ties.With the cockpit secured, off-duty pilots travelling as passengers took over the controls.They stabilised the aircraft, despite damage to its rudder and tail, and diverted it to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.