Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun, who helped restrain a suspected attacker during a mid-air emergency aboard a Flydubai flight, told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday that watching the documentary series ‘Air Crash Investigation’ helped him understand how to respond after the aircraft began losing altitude. Hayun said he returned to the cockpit after the attacker was subdued and pulled back on the aircraft’s controls.

Hayun met Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport after the flight, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely. According to Hayun’s account, he and other passengers intervened after one pilot was stabbed by the other and the aircraft began descending rapidly.

Passenger Enters Cockpit As Plane Loses Altitude

Hayun recalled that reaching the cockpit was difficult because the injured pilot was lying against the door. Once inside, he found neither pilot was seated at the controls, while the suspected attacker was near the cockpit panel.

“There were no pilots in the seats: one was on the floor, one was on the [panel],” Hayun told Netanyahu, explaining that the attacker appeared to be attempting to disable the aircraft.

Hayun said he grabbed the suspected attacker, restrained him in a chokehold and pulled him away from the controls. “When I went in, I saw the terrorist on the devices between the two chairs. I grabbed the terrorist, choked him, and pulled him away from there,” he said.

He added that the aircraft’s nose had been pointing down during the confrontation and said he feared the consequences if the plane had continued towards Israeli airspace. “I imagine that if we had entered Israeli airspace, it wouldn’t have ended well,” Hayun said.

‘I Watch Air Crash Investigation’

After the suspected attacker had been restrained, Hayun returned to the cockpit as passengers and crew worked to secure the situation. He said he then pulled back on the controls to help bring the aircraft out of its descent.

When Netanyahu asked him, “You pulled them?”, Hayun replied: “Yes, I watch ‘Air Crash Investigation.’” He later repeated the explanation, telling the prime minister: “I watch Air Crash Investigation, Mr Prime Minister – really!”

The Canadian documentary series, also known internationally as ‘Mayday’, examines major aviation accidents and the investigations into their causes. It uses interviews, dramatic reconstructions and computer-generated imagery to recreate events inside aircraft and cockpits. The programme first aired in 2003 and is produced by Cineflix Productions.

Another account from Hayun, reported by The Times of Israel, said he realised that nobody was controlling the aircraft as it began to nosedive and remembered from the programme that pulling the controls could bring the aircraft upwards. The plane subsequently began to level out before another pilot took over.

Flydubai Flight Diverted To Saudi Arabia

The incident took place aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to Reuters, the aircraft dropped nearly 14,000 feet in about 30 seconds after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and caused the aircraft to descend rapidly.

Passengers and crew members intervened to restrain the suspected attacker. Additional Flydubai pilots who were travelling as passengers subsequently took control of the aircraft, which was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia and landed safely.

Flydubai said the incident involved an “altercation” in the flight deck and confirmed that the aircraft was safely diverted and landed in Tabuk. The airline said the reasons and motives behind the incident remained unknown and were subject to a formal investigation.

Netanyahu Praises Hayun

Netanyahu met Hayun after passengers returned to Israel. In footage released from the meeting, the prime minister embraced him and praised his actions during the emergency.

Hayun arrived wearing clothing stained with blood. When he apologised for the stains, Netanyahu dismissed the concern and praised his intervention.

“I see you, and I see a lion. You are a great hero. What you did is just unbelievable. You saved not only the passengers of the plane, but many others,” Netanyahu said.

The circumstances and motive behind the cockpit attack remain under investigation. Flydubai has urged against premature speculation while authorities establish what happened. The airline later announced a temporary suspension of its flights to and from Israel while the investigation continues.

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