Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lauded a passenger for his extraordinary bravery during a recent FlyDubai flight, crediting him with preventing a disaster of immense scale. Netanyahu specifically highlighted the actions of Yaniv Chayon, who he said demonstrated 'unbelievable courage' by intervening in the cockpit to subdue an alleged attacker and help stabilize the aircraft.
The prime minister asserted that Chayon's intervention prevented a catastrophe of 'unbelievable proportions,' drawing a comparison to the September 11 terrorist attacks, which claimed nearly 3,000 lives. Netanyahu recounted the perilous situation, stating that passengers, including 30 children, were preparing for the worst.
The passengers, including 30 children, are already saying their prayers. They know they're gone from this world,
Netanyahu remarked, adding that Chayon 'acted with coolness of judgment and heroism… just tremendous courage that prevented another 9/11.'
Passenger's Heroic Intervention
The incident involved a pilot aboard the Israel-bound FlyDubai flight allegedly stabbing another pilot and attempting to 'crash the plane' with more than 100 people on board. Authorities are investigating the event as a suspected hijacking.
According to Netanyahu, the wounded captain, despite his severe injuries, managed to unlock the cockpit door. This allowed passengers, including Chayon, to enter the cockpit, where they worked collectively to subdue the assailant and regain control of the rapidly descending aircraft.
Netanyahu met with Chayon earlier, commending his courageous act and praising him for taking command of the situation under 'impossible' circumstances.
I met with this Israeli, this unbelievable Israeli. His name is Yaniv, who did this thing. And I asked him, ‘How did you do it?’ And he said, ‘Well, I just had to do it.’
The prime minister emphasized the personal stakes for Chayon, noting that his family was among the 174 passengers, most of whom were Israelis. 'He had to save them,' Netanyahu stated.
Details of the Mid-Air Assault
Netanyahu attributed the attack to 'hatred,' which he described as rooted in antisemitism and fueled by 'propaganda' that demonizes Israel. While acknowledging he did not know the attacker's exact background, the prime minister speculated on the motive:
He obviously hated Israelis because he was going to kill about 170 of them on this plane, killing himself, too. That's fanaticism and hatred of an incalculable level.
During the assault, the aircraft experienced a dramatic loss of altitude, plummeting from 30,000 feet to 17,000 feet in approximately one minute while the captain was incapacitated. Flight radar data confirmed the rapid descent before other pilots on board managed to take control and divert the plane to Saudi Arabia, landing it safely.
The injured pilot of Flight 1073 has been identified as Captain Smit Machchhar. Netanyahu reported that Captain Machchhar is 'fighting for his life' due to severe injuries.
Apparently, he stabbed him, or he hit him with an ax. He was bleeding profusely. The plane began to go out of control and began a nosedive,
Netanyahu explained. He added that the Indian pilot, despite being 'very badly wounded,' displayed 'unbelievable courage' by managing to unlock the cockpit door.
Investigation Underway
Netanyahu informed Reuters that the alleged cockpit attacker was arrested after the emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. An Israeli official confirmed that the co-pilot involved was an Omani national.
FlyDubai has cautioned that the suspect’s motive remains unclear and announced the suspension of all flights to and from Israel while the investigation proceeds. Israeli officials have indicated that investigators are working to ascertain the co-pilot’s motive and whether he acted independently.
Reflecting on the incident, Netanyahu offered a pointed remark:
Just think about it... If you're next hijacked, make sure an Israeli is sitting next to you.