Trump Praises Israeli Passenger Who Aided in Flight Hijacking

U.S. President Donald Trump released a video message praising Yaniv Hayun, an Israeli passenger who helped subdue a co-pilot during an incident on a Flydubai flight. Trump thanked Hayun for his actions, calling him a "hero" and expressing admiration for his bravery. "I want to thank and congratulate Yaniv Hayun, who is an Israeli plumber and a fan of Trump. I am a fan of his, a big fan," the President stated. Trump also referenced Hayun's claim that he learned how to handle the situation from watching the TV show "Air Crash Investigation," suggesting this knowledge helped stabilize the aircraft. "He saved this flight. He did an amazing job. He went in there and he learned to fly from watching 'Air Crash Investigation' on TV," Trump said, adding, "He's my kind of guy. He can be my plumber, he can be whatever he wants to be."

The video was posted on Trump's TikTok account. The President had previously discussed the incident with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hayun recounted that he noticed something was wrong when shouts were heard from the cockpit, the plane's electricity cut out, and the aircraft made a sharp turn. He rushed to the cockpit, found the captain had been stabbed, and the co-pilot near the controls. Hayun stated he restrained the co-pilot using headphones and then helped stabilize the plane with other Israeli passengers, including Zvika Mans and Assaf Rejwan. A dentist, Dr. Shota Musayev, treated the injured captain.

Hayun, who was traveling with his family, smiled at Trump's description of him as a "plumber," calling himself an "upgraded plumber" and stating he was not offended. He expressed surprise that Trump would acknowledge him and his actions. The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, also met with Hayun to thank him on behalf of Trump and the American nation for his courage and assistance on Flydubai flight FZ1073.

Meanwhile, U.S. media reported that the co-pilot, identified as Maam Al-Hamami, had his employment with Oman Air terminated due to suspected radicalization. According to reports citing investigation sources, Al-Hamami allegedly confessed his intention was to crash the plane over Israel. He is reportedly cooperating with investigators in the UAE, and Israel is expected to participate in the investigation. The Wall Street Journal noted that Al-Hamami's work at Oman Air was previously suspended, but it remains unclear if these suspicions were shared with Flydubai before he was hired.