- Co-pilot stabbed Captain, who opened cockpit door for intervention.
- Passenger Yaniv Hayoun restrained attacker, took aircraft controls.
- Hayoun used TV show knowledge to stabilize the aircraft.
- Aircraft then diverted, landing safely in Saudi Arabia.
An Israeli passenger has credited the Canadian aviation docuseries Air Crash Investigation with helping him respond during the terrifying cockpit emergency aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The passenger, Yaniv Hayoun reportedly helped restrain the alleged attacker before taking hold of the aircraft’s controls as the plane plunged thousands of feet.
The incident also involved Indian-origin Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar, who was stabbed by the co-pilot during the cockpit confrontation. Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene. The aircraft was eventually diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia with around 180 people on board.
Yaniv Hayoun Says TV Show Helped During Flydubai Emergency
Hayoun later met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and described how he entered the cockpit during the crisis. According to reports, he found the pilots away from their seats and the alleged attacker near the aircraft’s controls. He said, “In my opinion, the stabbed pilot managed to open the cockpit before he collapsed.”
Yaniv, the Israeli passenger who helped save the flight, gave Netanyahu his account of what happened inside the cockpit.
The cockpit door was jammed. The co-pilot was trying to destroy the aircraft’s instruments. Yaniv put him in a chokehold and, with help from other Israeli… https://t.co/kya1PmdnyP pic.twitter.com/mrLS5V4BeG
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) September 30, 2026
The passenger added, “When I went inside, I saw the attacker on the instrument panel between the two seats. There were no pilots in the seats. One was on the floor, one was on the instruments, and someone else had come in with me.”
Hayoun said he immediately focused on removing the alleged attacker from the controls.
According to his account, the aircraft’s nose was pointing down as the passengers struggled to regain control.
Hayoun said, “He was trying to destroy the instruments to disable the plane. We got him out. It all happened in seconds and the plane’s nose was pitched like this.”
Hayoun then called for assistance from other passengers. He said two other men helped restrain the alleged attacker while he moved back towards the aircraft controls.
‘Good Thing I Watched Air Crash Investigation’
Netanyahu asked Hayoun whether he knew how to operate the controls. His answer drew laughter, showing the unusual role the television series had played in the emergency.
When Netanyahu asked, “You are easing the handles back? Did you know how?,” Hayoun replied, “Yes. I watch Air Crash Investigation, Mr Prime Minister.”
He later mentioned that the aircraft began to stabilise before the pilot took control again.
He said, “The plane started to level out a bit, and then the pilot told me he was taking over the controls from there.”
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About ‘Air Crash Investigation’
Air Crash Investigation, also known as Mayday and Air Crash Investigations, is a Canadian documentary series produced by Cineflix Productions. First broadcast in 2003, the programme examines real-world aviation accidents, near-crashes, hijackings, bombings and other emergencies.
The series recreates major aviation incidents using sources including cockpit voice recordings, official investigation reports, eyewitness accounts, interviews and computer-generated imagery. Its episodes examine how accidents unfolded and the factors identified by investigators as contributing to them.
The programme has run for more than 26 seasons and has been distributed internationally, including through Discovery Canada, National Geographic Channels and Canal D.
What Happened On The Flydubai Flight?
The Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv encountered a serious emergency after one pilot allegedly attacked the other inside the cockpit. Captain Smit Machchhar was reportedly stabbed but managed to open the cockpit door before collapsing, enabling passengers and crew to enter.
The aircraft then reportedly lost thousands of feet of altitude in a short period. Flight-tracking data indicated a dramatic descent before the plane stabilised.
Hayoun recalled that gaining access to the cockpit was difficult because of the injured pilot’s position.
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