Date: October 1, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
An Israeli passenger who helped prevent a Flydubai passenger jet from crashing after its co-pilot attacked the captain said he knew how to respond when the aircraft began plunging because he had watched a television program about air disasters.
Yaniv Hayun, 50, was among several passengers who rushed toward the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073 after the aircraft suddenly began losing altitude while flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Hayun and other passengers helped subdue the co-pilot before Hayun pulled up on the aircraft's steering controls as the plane was rapidly descending.
The flight was carrying more than 170 people when the incident occurred Wednesday. Israeli officials said the co-pilot had stabbed the captain and apparently attempted to crash the aircraft. The plane plunged more than 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds while flying over Saudi Arabia before passengers and an additional crew aboard the aircraft helped regain control.
Hayun was traveling with his wife and two daughters. After the plane landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, he later described how he realized something was seriously wrong after hearing a woman scream that someone had been stabbed.
“We knew there was an attack because a woman screamed ‘stabbing’ and the plane shook,” Hayun told Reuters. “At that moment I ran to the cockpit and the plane dived.”
According to Hayun, the injured captain apparently managed to open the cockpit door before collapsing. Hayun and another passenger then entered the cockpit, where they saw one pilot injured and the other at the controls.
Hayun said he grabbed the co-pilot and placed him in a chokehold while other passengers helped restrain him. After the attacker was pulled away from the controls, Hayun returned to the cockpit and pulled the aircraft's steering control upward.
He later explained to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he knew what to do because he had watched the television program Air Crash Investigation, which examines real-world aviation accidents and emergencies.
“I watch Air Crash Investigation, Mr Prime Minister,” Hayun told Netanyahu when asked how he knew what to do.
Hayun's actions were part of a broader effort by passengers and crew members to regain control of the aircraft. A reserve Flydubai crew was also aboard the flight and ultimately took control and landed the aircraft safely in Saudi Arabia.
Another passenger, Tzvika Manes, said passengers used airline earphones to restrain the co-pilot. Dentist Shota Musaev helped treat the wounded captain and assisted in subduing the attacker, while Asaf Rajuan was also involved in restraining him.
The passengers were later flown back to Israel and arrived at Ben Gurion Airport, where they were greeted by family members and officials. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Hayun, Manes, Manes' wife Tali, Musaev and Rajuan would be nominated for the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.
The passengers themselves have largely played down descriptions of their actions as heroic. Rajuan said that in such a situation, people act instinctively to protect their families and fellow passengers.
“I’m not a hero,” Rajuan said. “It’s something you do without thinking, running to save your daughter’s life, your family’s life, your wife, and all the staff and people on the plane.”
Other passengers described the sudden descent as terrifying. Almog Italie said the aircraft initially felt as though it was experiencing severe turbulence before passengers realized that a struggle was taking place near the cockpit. He said the plane dropped for roughly 20 to 30 seconds, stabilized briefly and then began descending again.
The aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk after the reserve crew took over. The passengers were provided with medical assistance and other support in Saudi Arabia before their return to Israel.
The incident remains under investigation. Israeli officials have said the co-pilot, whom they identified as an Omani national, apparently acted alone, although investigators have not ruled out other possibilities. Prime Minister Netanyahu has also said authorities are examining the suspect's background and possible motives.
Netanyahu said Thursday that Israeli authorities believed the co-pilot had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and appeared to have intended to bring down the aircraft. He emphasized that those conclusions were preliminary and that the investigation was continuing.
The episode has also prompted renewed attention to aviation security and the screening of pilots operating flights into Israel. Israeli officials said additional security checks would be considered following the attack.
For Hayun and the other passengers who intervened, however, the focus has remained on the immediate decision they faced aboard the aircraft: responding quickly when the plane was descending and the cockpit had become the scene of a violent struggle.
What began as a routine flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv turned into an emergency over Saudi Arabia, with passengers suddenly forced to respond to a situation they had never expected to face. In Hayun's case, knowledge gained from watching a television program about aviation disasters became an unexpected source of guidance during the crisis.