Netanyahu meets flydubai passengers who subdued attacker — Jerusalem Post

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with four passengers on a flydubai flight who helped restrain an attacker after an assault on the co-pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. They are Yaniv Hayun, Or Pardilov, Dr. Shota Musaev and Sigalit Musaeva, the Jerusalem Post reports.

Passengers’ actions in the cabin

According to the passengers, they tied up the attacker with a headphone cable in the aircraft cabin. One of them told Netanyahu that the man, whom the publication identifies as an Omani citizen, asked to be killed after he was restrained.

The passengers also said that they asked the attacker to speak English so that everyone could understand his words. They stated that at the time they were not sure whether other crew members were involved in the attack. In a video released by the prime minister’s office, one of the passengers said the group tried to control the situation because they could not trust anyone.

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Landing in Saudi Arabia

According to the Jerusalem Post, the attack took place on Wednesday: an Omani citizen began stabbing the co-pilot, Captain Smith Machchar. During the attack, Machchar managed to open the cockpit door, after which several passengers and crew members injured and restrained the attacker.

Another crew on board took control of the aircraft and landed it in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Shota Musaev provided assistance to Machchar and temporarily stabilized his condition, the publication notes.

According to the Jerusalem Post, citing several sources, Mossad, Shin Bet, the Israel Defense Forces and Israel’s Ministry of Transport believe that the attacker acted alone, rather than on instructions from Iran or another group. Netanyahu said that the four passengers will light a torch of civilian heroism at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony.