'I Watch Air Crash Investigation': Flydubai Passenger Says To PM Benjamin Netanyahu; Know How An Aviation Show Helped Him Respond To Mid-Air Crisis

An unusual in-flight emergency on a flydubai flight has drawn attention after an Israeli passenger said his knowledge of aviation incidents helped him respond when the aircraft faced a mid-air crisis. Speaking about the incident, the passenger told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “I watch Air Crash Investigation,” referring to the popular aviation documentary series Mayday: Air Disaster. During a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, Hayun recounted pulling back on the controls after the attacker had been subdued. When Netanyahu asked, “You pulled them?” Hayun replied: “Yes, I watch ‘Air Crash Investigation.’” Times of Israel reported.

Yaniv Hayun meets Prime Minister Netanyahu

Flydubai passenger Yaniv Hayun, who stormed into the cockpit and subdued the assailant, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and shared how he assisted during the in-flight crisis, according to the Times of Israel. Hayun mentioned that viewing the documentary series ‘Air Crash Investigation’ assisted him in grasping the appropriate actions to take during the crisis. He mentioned to Netanyahu that he withdrew from the aircraft’s controls after the assailant had been restrained.

About the Mayday series

Mayday is a Canadian documentary television programme examining air crashes, near-crashes, hijackings, bombings and other disasters. The series was released on September 3, 2003. The series includes re-enactments, interviews (from survivors, if available, or individuals connected to the investigation), eyewitness accounts, CGI or computer-generated imagery, and, in almost all episodes, voice actors reading cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcripts to recreate the events for viewers.

Attacker allegedly tried damaging aircraft instruments

Yaniv Hayun, who was one of the four passengers from the flydubai flight, told PM Netanyahu that he helped overpower the suspected attacker aboard the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight after the Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and, according to Israeli assessments, tried to crash the aircraft. “I grabbed the attacker, put him in a chokehold and pulled him out. I called the Israelis who were with us, jumped back in and pulled the controls. I started pulling them back,” he said to the PM of Israel during the conversation, the Times of Israel reported. Hayun also said that he has an aviation background.