Four heroic passengers, including a plumber and a dentist, are being recommended for Israel’s Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism after they subdued a co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the pilot during a suspected hijacking attempt on a Flydubai flight, preventing a major disaster and saving 173 lives.
Four heroic passengers, including a plumber and a dentist, are being recommended for Israel’s Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism for their extraordinary actions in averting a suspected hijacking attempt on Flydubai flight FZ1073. Plumber Yaniv Hayoun, Tzvika Manes, and Asaf Rajuan entered the cockpit after the aircraft plummeted 17,000ft in less than two minutes, following a co-pilot's alleged stabbing of pilot Smit Machchhar. Mr. Hayoun bravely put the Omani co-pilot in a chokehold, pulled him out of the cockpit, and, recalling lessons from a TV show, even pulled the plane's controls to help stabilize it before an off-duty British pilot took over. Dr. Shota Musayev, a dentist, provided critical life-saving first aid to the severely bleeding Captain Machchhar, stabilizing his condition after he lost significant blood and consciousness. The group, including Mr. Manes and Mr. Rajuan, successfully restrained the attacker for 55 minutes until the flight landed safely in Saudi Arabia, where the suspect was arrested. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally praised Mr. Hayoun and other passengers for their 'extraordinary bravery,' while President Isaac Herzog commended their 'swift action' for averting a major disaster.
