Israeli Hero Subdues Terrorist on Flydubai Flight

3 min read

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Yaniv Hion as a hero after the man successfully subdued a hijacker on a Flydubai flight to Israel. Hion, a flight instructor, described the harrowing experience during a hero’s welcome at Ben Gurion Airport.

Heroic Actions Avert Disaster

Hion arrived at the airport still wearing blood-stained clothing from the emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. He recounted how he and other passengers acted when they realized the Omani co-pilot had intended to take over the flight and crash it.

“There was this tremendous pressure, this force pulling me downward,” Hion said. “And there was another guy standing by the door in a white shirt. I assume he was a pilot, because there were two pilots inside, and by chance there were two other pilots sitting outside in the passenger cabin. I don’t know what they were doing there. He and I pushed the door. The pilot who had been stabbed was right up against the door, so it was difficult for us to open it. But I think — this is my conclusion — that he managed to open it before he collapsed. He managed to do it. Wow, that was incredibly resourceful.”

“When I got inside, I saw the attacker on the controls, between the two seats. There were no pilots in the seats. One was down, and the attacker was on the controls. Another person came in with me. I grabbed the attacker, put him in a chokehold, and first of all pulled him out,” Hion continued.

Netanyahu, surprised by Hion’s actions, asked, “You pulled the controls? You knew how?” Hion explained, “I’m a flight instructor. That’s another thing I teach. And the plane started leveling out a little more. Then the pilot told me he was taking control from there.”

Netanyahu Praised the Heroes

Netanyahu praised the quick actions that saved dozens of lives and stopped what was reportedly intended to be a 9/11-style attack on Israel. He also relayed in a video some of what he was told by the passengers after they landed safely in Israel.

“He told me that the plane went into a spin and began to dive,” Netanyahu said. “He told me that, somehow or other, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and that together they neutralized the stabbing pilot while he was trying to sabotage the plane’s systems. … Another flight crew on board entered the cockpit and managed to stabilize the plane.”

“I salute these heroes, who displayed exceptional resourcefulness and courage,” Netanyahu said. “They saved many lives. They prevented a huge disaster.”

Passengers and Crew Work Together

It was clear that something had gone wrong with the flight just 90 minutes in, when someone aboard the aircraft transmitted a general distress signal, code 7700. Within a few minutes, the code was switched to 7500 — the international aviation code indicating unlawful interference. The aircraft subsequently disappeared from flight-tracking applications, raising further alarms.

While the flight was still in progress, Hion and others were able to subdue the Omani pilot and correct their course. Another flight crew member aboard the plane stepped in and assisted in flying the aircraft to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, safely.

Source: Daily Wire