Grabbed 'Terrorist', Choked Him: Passenger On Subduing flydubai Stabber

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met a Flydubai passenger on Wednesday who barged into the cockpit and restrained the attacker after the aircraft plunged dramatically during a flight to Israel.

Yaniv Hayoun, one of the passengers who intervened during the mid-air emergency, met Netanyahu at Tel Aviv airport after the aircraft was diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

A video released by Netanyahu's office showed the prime minister hugging Hayoun and calling him a hero.

“I Strangled the Terrorist - He Tried to Destroy the Devices and Crash the Plane” - The Passenger Who Saved the Passengers with the Wild Story That Unfolded on board Fly Dubai Flight. pic.twitter.com/v72C131jdY

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 30, 2026

Hayoun told Netanyahu that he and others tried to force their way into the cockpit after one of the pilots was reportedly stabbed. He said that the injured pilot was pressed against the cockpit door, making it difficult for passengers to enter.

Once inside, Hayoun said he saw the alleged attacker near the controls.

"There were no pilots in the seats: one was on the floor, one was on the [panel]," Hayoun said, adding that the attacker appeared to be trying to "disable the plane."

Hayoun said the entire confrontation happened within seconds.

He told Netanyahu that he put the alleged attacker in a chokehold and dragged him away from the cockpit before returning to help regain control of the aircraft.

When I went in, I saw the terrorist on the devices between the two chairs. I grabbed the terrorist, choked him, and pulled him away from there. He tried to ruin the devices to neutralise the plane, which had its nose pointing down", he said.

"I imagine that if we had entered Israeli airspace, it wouldn't have ended well," he added.

As the situation unfolded, Hayoun said he knew he had to help bring the aircraft back under control. When asked how he knew to pull back the handles, he gave an unexpected answer.

"I watch Air Crash Investigation, Mr. Prime Minister - really!"

The terrifying episode began aboard a Flydubai flight travelling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel. One pilot stabbed another and then attempted to crash the aircraft which lost roughly half its altitude in about a minute.

Passengers and a crew member eventually managed to enter the cockpit and subdue the alleged attacker, while other crew members regained control of the plane.

The aircraft was later diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

When Hayoun arrived to meet Netanyahu, he was still wearing clothes stained with blood. After he apologised for the blood stains, Netanyahu brushed it aside and praised Hayoun for his actions.

"I see you and I see a lion. You are a great hero. What you did is just unbelievable. You saved not only the passengers of the plane, but many others", Netanyahu said.

The motive behind the alleged attack remains unclear. The incident came just days before the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.