Jerusalem: Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke with Yaniv Hayoun and other Israelis whose actions helped avert a potential disaster aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel.
He also recommended them for the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.
The four Israelis included Yaniv Hayoun, Dr Shota Musayev, Zvika Manes, and Asaf Rajuan.
“I called the four heroic passengers who displayed extraordinary courage in an impossible situation, and informed them that it is my intention to recommend awarding the ‘Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism’,” Herzog posted on X.
Sharing a video of the conversation with Yaniv Hayoun, the President said, “Not every day do you announce to a hero of Israel about the awarding of the President’s Medal for Civilian Bravery and right after that get invited for fish Friday.”
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the flydubai passenger Yaniv Hayoun, who intervened in the cockpit and restrained the attacker after the aircraft suffered a dramatic plunge during a mid-air attack while flying to Israel.
Hayoun, one of the passengers who stepped in during the attack, met the Israeli Prime Minister at Tel Aviv airport Wednesday following the aircraft’s diversion to Saudi Arabia and safe landing there.
In a video released by Netanyahu’s office, the Prime Minister was seen embracing Hayoun, who was wearing a bloodied shirt, and hailing him as a hero.
When Hayoun apologised over the blood stains, Netanyahu brushed it aside and lauded him for his actions.
“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.
According to an NDTV report, Hayoun told Netanyahu that he and other passengers attempted to enter the cockpit after one of the pilots stabbed Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar. He said the injured pilot was pushed against the cockpit door, obstructing their efforts to get inside. Once they managed to enter, Hayoun said he saw the alleged attacker near the controls.
“There were no pilots in the seats: one was on the floor, one was on the (panel),” Hayoun said, adding that the attacker seemed to be attempting to “disable the plane”.
According to Hayoun, the entire confrontation lasted only seconds. He said he restrained the alleged attacker in a chokehold and dragged him away from the cockpit, then returned to assist in regaining control of the aircraft.
“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 tried to ruin the devices to neutralise the plane, which had its nose pointing down,” he said.
“I imagine that if we had entered Israeli airspace, it wouldn’t have ended well,” he added.
As the emergency unfolded, Hayoun said he understood that he needed to help bring the aircraft under control. When Netanyahu asked how he knew to pull back the handles, Hayoun offered a surprising response: “I watch Air Crash Investigation, Mr Prime Minister — really!”
Earlier, Netanyahu also praised Captain Machchhar for his “extraordinary bravery” in preventing what he described as a potential mid-air catastrophe after the pilot was allegedly attacked during a flight but continued to act to safeguard passengers and crew.
In a statement posted by the Office of the Israeli Prime Minister on social media platform X, Netanyahu said Captain Machchhar displayed exceptional courage despite being seriously injured.
“My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery,” Netanyahu said.
