Stories
Plumber Saves Israel-Bound Plane, Learned Control from TV Show.
- •A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv faced a crisis when the co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machhar, causing the plane to rapidly descend.
- •Passenger Yaniv HaYoon entered the cockpit, subdued the attacker, and took control of the aircraft to prevent further descent.
- •HaYoon revealed he learned how to control an aircraft in an emergency by watching the TV show 'Air Crash Investigation'.
- •He pulled the controls back, causing the plane to ascend, before another pilot took over and diverted the flight to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, for a safe landing.
- •Yaniv HaYoon, a plumber, met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who praised his heroic actions.
Key Questions Answered
During the flight, the co-pilot violently attacked and stabbed Indian Captain Smit Machhar with a knife inside the cockpit. This caused a severe crisis, leaving the injured captain pressed against the door and causing the Boeing 737 to begin descending rapidly to about half its altitude in a minute.
Yaniv HaYoon, an ordinary passenger and plumber, rushed into the cockpit, restrained the attacker by the neck, and pulled him away from the controls. He then pulled the aircraft controls backward to stop the rapid descent and make the plane ascend, crediting knowledge gained from watching the TV show 'Air Crash Investigation' for knowing what to do.
After additional pilots and crew members intervened and took charge, the Flydubai flight was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it made a safe landing. Following the incident, passenger Yaniv HaYoon returned to Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the airport.
