The story told by the four people who rescued the Fly Dubai pilot

After a terrifying attack on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Israel, pilot Smith Machar, of Indian origin, is receiving widespread praise. Despite being seriously injured, he managed to open the cockpit door and alert the crew about the impending danger.

His timely intervention prevented a major tragedy, and concurrently, a group of passengers who immediately acted to assist the pilot have also become heroes of this operation.

Four Israeli passengers on board, Yaniv Hayun, Asaf Rajuan, Svika Manes, and Musayev Shota, assisted the crew in subduing the attacker by breaking into the cockpit. Yaniv Hayun, who works as a plumber, was among the first to come forward to rescue the attacked pilot. A video showing him, dressed in a blood-stained shirt after the attack, being embraced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is currently circulating on social media. Yaniv entered the cockpit when the injured pilot opened the door before falling to the floor, and by then, the attacker was already seated in the pilot's seat, attempting to take control of the aircraft and disable it. Using knowledge gained from television programs, Yaniv immediately made an emergency alert by saying 'Mayday, Mayday' through the communication device.

Asaf Rajuan, an owner of an insurance agency returning home after a vacation in Thailand, was another passenger who stepped forward during this critical moment. He describes the experience as similar to a scene from a horror movie. Realizing that something was wrong with the plane due to screams from the lavatory and a mother's wails, he saw the plane rapidly descending and immediately rushed to the open cockpit. There, with the help of another passenger and several crew members, Asaf and the group managed to wrestle with the attacker and subdue him for nearly fifty minutes.

Svika Manes, CEO of an institution belonging to 'Bank Leumi', was also involved in this confrontation. He states that there was a large amount of blood in the cockpit, and as the plane rapidly descended amidst the screams of passengers, a great effort was required to restore control of the aircraft. After intense effort, Svika Manes managed to tie up and subdue the attacker using cables from the headphones provided to passengers.

Musayev Shota, a dentist by profession, also rushed to the cockpit and promptly administered first aid to the seriously injured pilot. The pilot had severe injuries to his head and hands, and due to excessive bleeding, he was in a critical condition. Despite being in such a serious state, the pilot continuously spoke with them, stating that he was a 39-year-old father of two.

Watch the video of passengers describing this incident›