Prominent Australian couple Steven and Carol Moss, formerly of the Katies fashion empire and once the owners of Australia's most expensive residential property, have been identified as passengers aboard FlyDubai flight FZ1073 — the Boeing 737 Max 8 that plunged more than 4,000 metres in under 30 seconds during a suspected mid-air hijacking attempt while en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The terrifying incident unfolded roughly two hours into the flight on Wednesday, when the aircraft's co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane, triggering screams throughout the cabin among the more than 170 people on board.
Who are Steven and Carol Moss?
The Mosses, well known in Australian business and property circles, previously sold their Scottish baronial mansion Uig Lodge at Point Piper in Sydney for a record $130 million — at the time the highest price ever paid for a residential property in Australia. The couple declined to comment as they recover from the ordeal, though their presence on the flight has now been confirmed.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was "relieved to confirm" that at least two Australians on the flight were safe. "Thanks to the heroes who thwarted the attack and helped bring the passengers to safety," she said. "We're thinking of those injured and hope for their full recovery."
What happened aboard FlyDubai flight FZ1073
For more background on the incident itself, including how the attack unfolded in the cockpit, see our earlier report on the FlyDubai co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash the flight.
Despite being stabbed and covered in blood, Indian captain Smit Machchhar managed to activate the cockpit door release, alerting passengers and crew to the unfolding crisis. Israeli officials confirmed that passengers and crew worked together to overpower the co-pilot and regain control of the aircraft.
Among those credited as heroes was Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber, who said he placed the co-pilot in a chokehold and dragged him from the cockpit before returning to grab the flight controls. "We pinned him down. I jumped back, grabbed the controls, and started pulling back the handles," Hayoun recounted. He attributed his knowledge of how to pull a plane out of a nosedive to watching the aviation docuseries Air Crash Investigation. "The plane started to level out a bit and then the pilot told me he was taking over the controls from there," he said.
Two off-duty pilots who were travelling as passengers were ultimately able to assist in executing an emergency landing at Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Upon landing, it was discovered the aircraft's rudder had been destroyed.
World leaders praise the heroes of flight FZ1073
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally praised Hayoun, calling him a "great hero," and described the overall event as "a highly severe security incident," vowing to get to the root of what occurred. Netanyahu also credited Captain Machchhar with saving the lives of all 174 people on board, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Machchhar's extraordinary bravery. "In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others," Modi said. "His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy." Machchhar is currently hospitalised and is understood to be in a stable condition.
Cause of cockpit altercation still unknown
The motive behind the co-pilot's alleged actions remains unclear. FlyDubai released a statement acknowledging the incident but said the underlying reasons for what occurred were still unknown, cautioning against "premature speculation." Investigations by relevant authorities are ongoing.
One passenger summed up the chaos simply: "We just jumped in."
