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Israel has honoured five of its citizens who helped prevent a flydubai plane crash on Wednesday as it calls for the pilot who allegedly caused the mid-air altercation to be extradited.
Yaniv Hayoun, who was a passenger aboard the Flydubai aircraft, is one of five people recognised with a heroism award for their actions. Israel has honoured five of its citizens who prevented a passenger plane from crashing with heroism awards.
An Israeli minister has called for the co-pilot who stabbed the plane's captain mid-air to be extradited to his country for "a life of hell". Israel has honoured five of its citizens who helped fight off a pilot who attempted to crash a passenger plane as it flew to Israel with heroism awards.
Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai was scheduled to land in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, but was diverted and landed in Saudi Arabia after one pilot stabbed the other in the cockpit and "apparently tried to crash the plane", according to Israel's prime minister. But passengers and crew aboard the Boeing 737 Max 8 were able to foil the co-pilot's attempt to crash the plane and managed to safely land it after it plummeted thousands of metres in a minute.
"You put yourselves at risk to save others and prevented a terrible disaster," Israel's President Isaac Herzog said in a statement honouring those who helped. "I am proud of you, and I thank you on behalf of the state of Israel. " Among the Israelis to receive the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism is Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber who seized control of the plane, helping save all 174 people on board, including two Australians.
Mr Hayoun, still wearing a bloodied shirt, was personally greeted at Ben Gurion Airport by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who called him "a hero who has saved many lives". Israeli passenger Asaf Rajuan will receive a heroism award.
"We felt helpless, suspended in midair, and I didn't know who to turn to," he said. Plane's captain recovering well, Indian embassy says Captain Smit Machchhar spoke about his aviation career and mentoring young pilots in a vodcast in 2025. Mr Herzog and Mr Netanyahu have also praised the plane's Indian pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, who Israeli officials said managed to open the cockpit door to let passengers and crew save the plane after he was stabbed by the co-pilot.
Mr Machchhar is in a good health and recovering well in hospital, according to the the Indian embassy in the UAE.
"He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals," Mr Netanyahu said in a post on X."In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy," Mr Modi said.
Pilot Gyorgy Peto, who is also a former aviation journalist, told the ABC the landing of this plane made "the landing on the Hudson like a walk in the park". He said the aircraft was "close to breaking the speed of sound" when it descended so rapidly.
"There are a lot of small bits here that are close to a miracle, but this whole thing is just stunning in itself," Mr Peto said. He said changes to the aviation industry would inevitably come from the incident.
"The whole flying set up, from a security point of view, was never planned that the pilots would attack each other," he said. Mr Peto said that should include better, more stringent background checks on pilots. Mr Netanyahu claimed the flydubai co-pilot involved in a mid-air incident, identified as an Omani national, had undergone "Islamist radical indoctrination".
But the United Arab Emirates has started its own investigations seeking to establish the circumstances and motives, and determine "whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose, or involved prior planning or direction", according to UAE state news agency.
"I will demand in the cabinet to extradite the terrorist pilot who wanted to harm hundreds of innocent Israelis to Israel," he wrote on X. "Here, he will encounter my policy in the prisons very well on his own flesh, a life of hell awaits him here! "
Tel Aviv Boeing Benjamin Netanyahu Isaac Herzog Yaniv Hayoun Narendra Modi Gyorgy Peto Captain Smit Machchhar
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