Stories
Hero Plumber Yaniv Hayoun Recounts Halting Flydubai Plane Dive After Cockpit Attack
- •Israeli traveler Yaniv Hayoun intervened during an alleged cockpit attack on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which sent the aircraft into a steep descent.
- •Co-pilot Neria Kraus allegedly attacked and stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar, prompting Hayoun to enter the cockpit, restrain the attacker, and briefly take control of the plunging plane.
- •Hayoun, a plumber, pulled back on the controls to level the aircraft, drawing on knowledge gained from watching the documentary series "Mayday."
- •The flight was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely; Captain Machchhar was injured, and the attacker was overpowered by passengers and crew.
- •Hayoun was later praised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his heroic actions during the crisis.
Key Questions Answered
Yaniv Hayoun is an Israeli plumber who was travelling on Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. During the flight, after co-pilot Neria Kraus allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar, Hayoun rushed into the cockpit, placed the attacker in a chokehold, and pulled him away from the controls. He then grabbed the controls to help pull the plane out of a steep descent before another pilot took over.
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked how he knew what to do with the airplane controls, Yaniv Hayoun explained that he watches the aviation accident documentary series "Mayday". He stated that watching the show gave him a basic understanding of how aircraft respond during emergencies, which prompted him to pull back on the controls during the dive.
Following the cockpit attack and subsequent rapid descent, additional off-duty pilots travelling on the flight assumed control of the aircraft. They successfully guided the plane to a safe diversion landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after which injured Indian Captain Smit Machchhar and the passengers were able to return safely.
