Netanyahu Meets Flydubai Passenger Who Helped Subdue Pilot in Stabbing

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Yaniv Hayun, a passenger who helped restrain a pilot after a stabbing incident aboard a Flydubai flight, according to a report from Al Jazeera.

The stabbing took place aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai International Airport toward Israel, when one of the plane's pilots was attacked by a colleague, prompting the crew to divert the aircraft. The flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after the onboard altercation was brought under control, according to separate reporting on the incident.

Al Jazeera's report on the meeting did not provide additional detail on the exact circumstances under which Hayun intervened, nor on the current condition of the pilot who was stabbed.

The episode drew international attention given the unusual nature of an in-flight altercation between crew members and the diversion of a commercial flight to an unscheduled airport. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates described the incident as a security matter that was brought under control before the aircraft diverted.

Netanyahu's meeting with Hayun appears to reflect the Israeli government's interest in publicly acknowledging a passenger's role in the episode, though Al Jazeera's report did not include remarks made by either man during the meeting.