[Video below.] Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu announced Thursday that four Israelis who helped avert catastrophe aboard the Flydubai flight from Dubai will light a torch honoring civilian heroism at Israel’s upcoming Independence Day ceremony.

Netanyahu met at the Prime Minister’s Office with Yaniv Hayun, Or Fradilov, Dr. Shota Musayev and Musayev’s wife, Sigalit, hearing firsthand accounts of the terrifying moments aboard the aircraft and the actions taken by passengers after the captain was attacked.
The four described the struggle to gain control of the situation after the co-pilot allegedly attacked and repeatedly stabbed the plane’s captain as the aircraft carrying scores of passengers rapidly lost altitude.

“The entire world sees Israeli heroism,” Netanyahu told them.

He then informed the four that their actions would receive one of Israel’s most prominent public honors.

“You will light a torch of civilian heroism on Independence Day,” Netanyahu said.

During the meeting, the passengers recounted how the attacker was eventually restrained after they gained access to the cockpit.

“We tied up the stabbing pilot with the headphone cord. He said, ‘Kill me’ — that means he failed in his mission and preferred to die,” they recalled.

Hayun has emerged as one of the central figures in accounts of the extraordinary incident. After passengers gained access to the cockpit, he helped overpower the attacker and pull him away from the controls.

Hayun then returned to the cockpit and attempted to stabilize the aircraft by pulling back on the controls as the plane was rapidly losing altitude.

When Netanyahu asked Hayun how he knew what to do, Hayun gave an unexpected answer: “I watch ‘Air Crash Investigation,’ Mr. Prime Minister.”

Dr. Musayev, a dentist, meanwhile turned his attention to the badly wounded captain, working to stop the bleeding from the stabbing injuries he had sustained during the cockpit struggle.

The captain himself has been widely credited with playing a crucial role in saving the aircraft. Despite suffering serious injuries during his struggle with the co-pilot, he managed to activate the mechanism opening the cockpit door, allowing passengers and other crew members to enter and intervene.

Two additional Flydubai pilots who happened to be traveling aboard the flight subsequently entered the cockpit, took control of the aircraft and brought it to a safe emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

The captain was subsequently hospitalized and underwent treatment for his wounds.
Netanyahu praised the four Israelis for the courage, resourcefulness and faith they displayed during the crisis, saying their actions prevented what could have been an enormous disaster and saved many lives.

The prime minister also used the meeting to issue a broader warning to Israelis following the incident.

“I tell the citizens of Israel to learn from you, to keep their eyes open and remain alert. We are in a very sensitive period. Our enemies intend to harm us,” Netanyahu said.

The flight had departed Dubai for Israel when the violent confrontation erupted inside the cockpit. During the crisis, the aircraft descended rapidly by thousands of feet and transmitted emergency signals before control was restored.

The plane ultimately landed safely in Saudi Arabia, and the passengers were later brought back to Israel.

Netanyahu had already praised Hayun upon his return to Israel, calling him a “lion” after hearing how he had rushed into the cockpit and helped overpower the attacker.

President Isaac Herzog has also moved to formally recognize Israelis involved in saving the flight, announcing that he intends to recommend four of those who participated in the rescue effort for the President’s Medal for Civilian Heroism.

The investigation into precisely what occurred aboard the flight remains underway, and Flydubai has cautioned against reaching conclusions about the attacker’s motive before the investigation is completed.

For Netanyahu, however, the bravery displayed by the passengers was already beyond question. Their actions, he told them Thursday, will now be recognized before the country when they light a torch honoring civilian heroism on Independence Day.

{Matzav.com}