Stories
Plumber Rescues Flydubai Plane After Co-Pilot Attack, Learned Control from TV Show
- •A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv faced a crisis when the co-pilot attacked Captain Smith Machar in the cockpit.
- •The plane began to descend rapidly, prompting passenger Yaniv Hayoun and others to rush into the cockpit, subdue the attacker, and take control.
- •Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber, learned how to control a plane in an emergency by watching the TV show 'Air Crash Investigation'.
- •The plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely, averting a major disaster.
- •Upon returning to Israel, Hayoun met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, still wearing his blood-stained shirt from the incident.
Key Questions Answered
A violent altercation broke out in the cockpit when the co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smith Machar with a knife, causing the Boeing 737 to descend rapidly. Passengers intervened, subdued the attacker, and the plane was safely diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber by profession, rushed into the cockpit after subduing the attacker and pulled the aircraft's controller back to stop the rapid descent. He credited his quick action to knowledge gained from watching the documentary TV show Air Crash Investigation.
After returning to Israel, Yaniv Hayoun met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Tel Aviv airport while still wearing his blood-stained shirt from the incident. Netanyahu praised Hayoun, stating that he saved the lives of the passengers and many others.
