South African pilot Rowan Tooth from Kimberley in the Northern Cape has been internationally honoured after being part of the crew that safely landed a Flydubai passenger aircraft following a serious in-flight emergency.
Tooth is one of the crew members who received the Order of Zayed II, first class, on 27 October in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The honour recognised the crew's courage and actions in ensuring the safety of the passengers on board.
The award was presented by the UAE's president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and handed over by Dubai's Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The recognition follows an incident on 30 September on board Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
A serious altercation broke out in the cockpit when the first officer allegedly attacked the captain. Other crew members and passengers intervened to bring the situation under control.
Tooth was on board as a relief pilot. He and another pilot helped to regain control of the aircraft before it was diverted to Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia and landed safely.
Flydubai confirmed that all 172 people on board were safe. The captain, who was injured during the incident, returned to the UAE after medical clearance.
The circumstances of the incident remain under investigation.
The UAE's president personally received the crew members involved and praised their courage, professionalism and responsible conduct.
Flydubai's Chief Executive, Ghaith Al Ghaith, also expressed his gratitude to the pilots who safely landed the aircraft, the cabin crew and the passengers who assisted during the emergency.
The Order of Zayed II is a prestigious state honour awarded in recognition of exceptional service and contributions.
Tooth's achievement has also attracted attention in South Africa. The pilot, who is originally from Kimberley, is one of the crew members whose actions helped prevent a potential air disaster.
Sources: Flydubai; UAE Presidency; Dubai Protocol Office; Cape Town ETC.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
