He was bleeding profusely. Fighting for his life. And in an act of pure, unbelievable courage — he saved hundreds of souls from a mid-air nightmare.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday hailed the passenger who broke into a blood-soaked cockpit and tackled a rogue co-pilot, crediting him with nothing less than stopping another 9/11.
"And this young man just acts with incredible, incredible heroism and saves the day," Netanyahu told Fox News in an exclusive interview.
"He acted with coolness of judgment and heroism… just tremendous courage that prevented another 9/11."
The hero's name is Yaniv Chayon — and he's the reason a FlyDubai jet from Dubai to Tel Aviv didn't become the deadliest aviation disaster in a generation.
Here's what went down, according to officials: a co-pilot allegedly launched a violent attack on the pilot mid-flight, stabbing him and sending the aircraft into a terrifying plunge. The cockpit door was locked. The pilot was losing blood. Hundreds of Israeli citizens sat in the cabin behind, utterly unaware they were hurtling toward catastrophe.
Then Chayon moved.
"He was bleeding profusely. He's fighting, I think, for his life right now, but in an act of unbelievable courage, he managed to unlock the door to the cockpit," Netanyahu recounted.
Chayon burst through the door and subdued the alleged attacker, stabilizing the aircraft and enabling the wounded pilot to regain control.
The plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Everyone aboard survived. The alleged attacker was arrested.
Netanyahu met face-to-face with Chayon earlier on Wednesday, lauding him for taking control of the plane under "impossible" circumstances.
"His name is Yaniv, who did this thing," the prime minister explained. "And I asked him, 'How did you do it?' And he said, 'Well, I just had to do it.'"
He just had to do it.
Netanyahu told Reuters the alleged cockpit attacker was arrested after the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. He also said he spoke with US President Donald Trump about the "amazing, amazing act of heroism that saved a disaster that would have been not only a disaster for Israel, but you can imagine how it could affect the global aviation."
And then came the line that said it all.
"Just think about it… If you're next hijacked, make sure an Israeli is sitting next to you," Netanyahu said.
The 9/11 terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people. On Wednesday, one man with ice in his veins made sure that number didn't grow by a single soul.
Hero. Pure and simple.
