FlyDubai incident: Israeli plumber says TV show taught him how to stabilise plane

FlyDubai incident involving a Dubai to Tel Aviv flight continues to be in the news as the investigation is currently underway. As Indian Captain Smit Machchhar it is being praised by global leaders and Indian across the country, a few passengers who stepped in to take control of the flight after the alleged attack have also gained attention.

Meet hero passenger

A passenger, identified as Yaniv Hayun, 50, is being praised as a hero. He and three other Israeli passengers managed to subdue the co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the Captain in a reported attempt to crash the flight. The FlyDubai flight FZ1073 was carrying more than 170 people on Wednesday when the incident took place.

The confrontation in the cockpit triggered a steep descent, causing the aircraft to drop about 16,000 feet within two minutes before transmission of a hijacking distress signal.

How was the flight stabilised

After the incident, Hayun said that he knew how to stabilise a nose-diving aircraft. He added that he learnt it from an aircraft crash TV show, as reported by Reuters.

He reportedly managed to pull up the steering control and landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia with the help of a second aircrew member aboard.

According to Reuters, Hayun was travelling with his wife and two daughters. He owns a sewage pumping company, added the news agency.

After arriving from Saudi Arabia at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, Hayun opened up about what happened on the fateful flight.

"We knew there was an attack because a woman screamed 'stabbing' and the plane shook," he said, adding, "At that moment I ran to the cockpit, and the plane dived."

He met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and shared a hug. He said that the stabbed Indian pilot managed to open the cockpit door before collapsing.

"One (pilot) was down and one was on the controls, and another person came in with me; I grabbed the assailant and put him in a chokehold, and pulled him out," he told Netanyahu as seen in a video shared by the PM's office.

Which TV show saved FlyDubai crash

When asked how he knew what to do in the moments before another pilot boarded, Hayun said, "I watch Air Crash Investigation."

Air Crash Investigation or Mayday is a documentary TV series, focusing on real aviation accidents using real-life interviews, cockpit data, eyewitnesses, expert opinion and investigation findings.

The Canadian documentary first premiered in 2003. The title of the show varies depending on the region.

Where to watch Air Crash Investigation

In India, multiple seasons of Air Crash Investigation are available on JioHotstar.