Stories
Israeli Plumber Hailed as Hero for Averting Flydubai Plane Catastrophe
- •Yaniv Hayoun, an Israeli plumber, helped regain control of a Flydubai flight after a co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to take over the aircraft.
- •The incident occurred on Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying 174 people, when the co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar.
- •Hayoun and other passengers entered the cockpit after the wounded captain opened the door, overpowering the attacker.
- •During the struggle, Hayoun grabbed the aircraft controls and pulled them upward, recalling knowledge from the TV show "Air Crash Investigation."
- •The plane, which plunged from 33,000 to 17,000 feet, was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and Hayoun was later praised as a "hero" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Key Questions Answered
The co-pilot allegedly attacked and stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar on a Flydubai flight carrying 174 people on Wednesday. The aircraft sharply plunged from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet before passengers intervened, and off-duty pilots safely diverted the plane for an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
After hearing screams and feeling the plane plunge, plumber Yaniv Hayoun and other passengers forced their way into the cockpit. Hayoun grabbed the aircraft controls and pulled them upward, utilizing knowledge he gained from watching the television program Air Crash Investigation, before two off-duty Flydubai pilots took over.
Yaniv Hayoun met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport while still wearing his blood-stained shirt from the incident. Netanyahu praised Hayoun as a hero for his actions during the flight.
