Flydubai hero pᴀssenger Yaniv Hayoun tells Netanyahu how TV show helped him regain flight control

Tel Aviv: Israeli pᴀssenger Yaniv Hayoun was among the pᴀssengers who helped overpower the co-pilot after he allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar during Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. He recounted how watching the TV series Air Crash Investigation helped him respond during the dramatic Flydubai cockpit crisis, after he entered the cockpit and took hold of the aircraft’s controls.

After returning to Israel, Hayoun met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and described how he intervened during the emergency. Still wearing the blood-stained clothes from the flight, Hayoun was hugged by Netanyahu, who told him, “This is the honour! You are the hero!”

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has met Yaniv Hayun, the Flydubai pᴀssenger that helped restrain a pilot who stabbed a colleague. Netanyahu called the pᴀssenger a ‘hero’ during a meeting at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv shortly after the flight landed. pic.twitter.com/XAw68rCLMp — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 30, 2026

Hayoun said he realised something was wrong when the aircraft’s lights went out and the plane suddenly began losing altitude. He and another pᴀssenger initially tried to open the cockpit door but were unable to do so.

Hero pᴀssenger put attacker on chokehold

Listen to Yaniv explain to @IsraeliPM the critical moments of the rescue – a remarkable display of Israeli and Emirati courage. 🇮🇱🤝🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/kd5QAeTRfs — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) September 30, 2026

According to Hayoun, Machchhar had collapsed near the door after being attacked but managed to unlock it before losing consciousness. This allowed Hayoun and other pᴀssengers to enter.

“I entered the cockpit, saw one pilot on the floor and the other over the controls,” Hayoun told Netanyahu.

Hayoun said he immediately grabbed the co-pilot and pulled him away from the cockpit controls.

“I grabbed the attacker, put him in a chokehold, and pulled him – first and foremost – outside,” he said.

Other pᴀssengers then joined him and helped restrain the attacker.

“We pulled him out; it was a matter of seconds. I called out to the Israeli guys with us on the plane – I called them, and two other guys came over to me… we pinned [the attacker] down to keep him secure.”

‘I watch Air Crash Investigation’

With the attacker removed from the cockpit, Hayoun said he moved towards the aircraft controls as the plane was still in difficulty.

“I grabbed hold of the control sticks and pulled them back to level out the plane,” he said.

Netanyahu asked Hayoun whether he knew what he was doing. The pᴀssenger replied with a reference to the television programme he had watched.

“I watch Air Crash Investigation, Mr Prime Minister,” he said.

Hayoun said the aircraft began to level out before pilots who had been travelling in the pᴀssenger cabin reached the cockpit and took over the controls.

The Boeing 737 was eventually diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. The pᴀssengers were later flown back to Israel.

Netanyahu praises Flydubai pᴀssenger

Netanyahu praised Hayoun for his actions, calling him a “great hero” and a “lion”. He also praised Captain Machchhar, who was injured during the confrontation, describing his actions as those of a “true hero”.

Machchhar was taken to hospital in Saudi Arabia and was reported to be in stable condition. The co-pilot was arrested and questioned by Saudi authorities, while the circumstances and motive behind the incident remain under investigation.

Flydubai has suspended flights to and from Israel following the incident while the investigation continues.