Passenger Who Subdued Hijacker Credited TV Show for Aviation Knowledge

A passenger who helped subdue an individual who breached the cockpit on a Flydubai flight told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his knowledge came from watching the documentary series "Air Crash Investigation." Yaniv Hayun, one of the passengers who restrained the attacker, explained that he grabbed the hijacker in a chokehold and pulled him out, noting the individual attempted to damage the aircraft's instruments. Hayun recounted calling for help from other Israeli passengers to restrain the man. He then jumped back into the cockpit and pulled the control yoke, stating, "I started pulling the yoke."

Netanyahu expressed surprise, asking Hayun how he knew to pull the yoke. Hayun responded, "I watch 'Air Crash Investigation,' Mr. Prime Minister." The series, a Canadian docu-drama by National Geographic, investigates aviation accidents and incidents. It premiered in 2003 and reconstructs real plane crashes or unusual aviation events, detailing the process investigators use to determine causes, which can include technical malfunctions, human error, or communication failures.

Interestingly, Flydubai itself was featured in an episode of "Air Crash Investigation." The show dedicated an episode, titled "Holding Pattern," to Flydubai Flight FZ981, which crashed in Rostov, Russia, in 2016 while attempting to land, resulting in the deaths of all 62 people on board. The episode examined the events leading up to the crash, including a prolonged airborne wait due to weather conditions and the subsequent investigation into the chain of decisions that led to the disaster.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying over 170 passengers, many of them Israelis, transmitted an emergency code followed by a hijacking code while over Jordan. Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled, and the aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia, escorted by Saudi fighter jets. The flight eventually landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport accompanied by a fighter jet, where passengers were met by activists celebrating their return. One passenger was taken to the hospital due to a suspected fracture sustained during the incident.