Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have personally reached out to Yaniv Hayoun and three other Israeli passengers who helped avert a catastrophic mid-air attack aboard a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Israel, with Herzog recommending all four for the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.

Presidential Honour for Four Passengers

President Herzog spoke directly with the four passengers — Yaniv Hayoun, Dr Shota Musayev, Zvika Manes, and Asaf Rajuan — commending their courage in what he called 'an impossible situation.' In a post on X, Herzog wrote: 'I called the four heroic passengers who displayed extraordinary courage in an impossible situation, and informed them that it is my intention to recommend awarding the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.' Sharing a video of his conversation with Hayoun, Herzog quipped: 'Not every day do you announce to a hero of Israel about the awarding of the President's Medal for Civilian Bravery and right after that get invited for fish on Friday.'

Netanyahu Embraces Hayoun at Tel Aviv Airport

Prime Minister Netanyahu met Hayoun at Tel Aviv airport on Wednesday, following the aircraft's emergency diversion to Saudi Arabia and its safe landing there. A video released by the Prime Minister's office showed Netanyahu embracing Hayoun, who was still wearing a bloodied shirt from the confrontation. When Hayoun apologised for the blood stains, Netanyahu dismissed the concern and hailed him as a national hero. '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.

Inside the Cockpit: What Hayoun Witnessed

Hayoun recounted that he and other passengers moved to enter the cockpit after one of the pilots allegedly stabbed Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar. He said the injured pilot had been pushed against the cockpit door, initially blocking their entry. Upon finally getting inside, Hayoun found no pilots in the seats. 'There were no pilots in the seats: one was on the floor, one was on the (panel),' he said. The alleged attacker was reportedly found near the aircraft's controls and appeared to be attempting to disable the plane, with its nose pointing downward. '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,' Hayoun said. He added: 'I imagine that if we had entered Israeli airspace, it wouldn't have ended well.'

Air Crash Investigation: An Unlikely Training Manual

In a moment that drew widespread attention, Hayoun revealed an unexpected source of his quick thinking when Netanyahu asked how he knew to pull back the controls. 'I watch Air Crash Investigation, Mr Prime Minister — really!' Hayoun reportedly said. Hayoun said the entire confrontation lasted only seconds — he restrained the alleged attacker in a chokehold, dragged him from the cockpit, and then returned to help crew regain control of the aircraft.

Salute to Indian Pilot Captain Machchhar

Prime Minister Netanyahu also separately praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for what he described as 'extraordinary bravery' despite being seriously injured during the attack. In a statement posted by the Office of the Israeli Prime Minister on social media platform X, Netanyahu said: 'My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery.' Notably, this cross-border recognition of an Indian national has drawn significant attention in India, where Captain Machchhar's conduct has been widely applauded. The incident underscores the life-or-death stakes that commercial aviation crews and passengers can face in rare but extreme scenarios.