Flydubai Passenger Recounts Foiling Hijacking Attempt to Netanyahu

Yaniv Hayoun, an Israeli passenger on Flydubai flight FZ1073, described the harrowing moments when he and other passengers subdued an attacker in the cockpit. Hayoun met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport and recounted the incident. "I grabbed the attacker, got a grip around his neck, and pulled him out first," Hayoun stated, adding that the assailant "tried to sabotage the plane's systems with the aim of crashing it."

Hayoun detailed how the plane began to lose altitude, describing a feeling of pressure and being pulled downward. He managed to reach the cockpit after the injured pilot opened the door from the inside. After moving the attacker away from the controls, Hayoun instructed other passengers to restrain him on the cockpit floor. He then retook control of the aircraft, which began to stabilize. The pilot informed Hayoun that he would resume control, and Hayoun handed the aircraft back to the injured pilot.

The passengers of flight FZ1073 arrived in Israel on Wednesday evening via a repatriation flight sent by Flydubai, after the original flight was forced to land in Saudi Arabia due to the incident. Upon landing at Ben Gurion Airport, air traffic control welcomed the passengers' safe return, telling the crew, "Good evening, Flydubai 1073, Ben Gurion Tower. Welcome to Israel, and thank you for bringing our passengers home safely."