‘Heroic’ Plumber Helps Save Hijacked Jet

Just days ago, Yaniv Hayoun was an everyday plumber.

Now, after helping save an Israel-bound passenger jet from catastrophe, the unlikely hero is suddenly being treated like one of Israel’s newest heartthrobs.

Hayoun became a household name following the terrifying emergency aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Sept. 30 when authorities say the co-pilot attacked the captain and attempted to seize control of the aircraft.

The jet plunged thousands of feet during the chaos before passengers and crew members managed to intervene.

Hayoun was among those who sprang into action.

According to accounts from passengers and officials, the plumber helped overpower the alleged attacker before getting into the cockpit and assisting with the aircraft’s controls.

In one of the stranger twists to an already extraordinary story, Hayoun later said that some of what he knew about airplanes came from watching the television series “Air Disasters.”

Two off-duty pilots aboard the flight ultimately took control and safely landed the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

But Hayoun’s role in the dramatic rescue quickly transformed the blue-collar worker into a national celebrity.

And apparently, plenty of people noticed more than his bravery.

From Plumber to Heartthrob

Israeli social media has been buzzing about Hayoun since the incident, with admirers joking that plumbers have suddenly become considerably more attractive.

“I want a plumber, baby,” Pasadena native Chaya Lev, who has lived in Israel for roughly a decade, told the New York Post.

Lev said Hayoun’s willingness to rush toward danger rather than freeze during the emergency was part of the appeal.

“Who doesn’t want a man who can break into the cockpit and save the plane, after watching a TV show?” she said. “It’s sexy.”

The jokes have quickly spread beyond Hayoun himself.

Popular culinary personality Rami Tal, an Australian transplant living in Tel Aviv, joked that he might need to rebrand his “Cooking with Rami” social media page as “Plumbing with Rami.”

Tal said the joke was made out of admiration for the man whose ordinary profession has suddenly become associated with one of the most dramatic aviation stories of the year.

There may not be an Israeli plumbers calendar just yet, but Hayoun’s sudden celebrity status has certainly given the profession an unexpected public-relations boost.

What Happened on Flight FZ1073

Behind the lighthearted reaction is an extremely serious incident that remains under investigation.

Flight FZ1073 was carrying more than 170 passengers when authorities say the co-pilot attacked Capt. Smit Machchhar with an emergency crash ax.

Despite being badly wounded, Machchhar reportedly managed to open the cockpit door.

That allowed passengers and crew members to reach the cockpit and overpower the attacker.

The aircraft had already entered a violent descent, dropping more than 16,000 feet in roughly half a minute, according to flight data cited by Reuters.

Hayoun later described grabbing the controls and attempting to stabilize the jet until more experienced help arrived.

Two off-duty pilots traveling as passengers eventually took over and guided the aircraft to a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

The United Arab Emirates has since characterized the incident as an attempted terrorist attack.

Authorities have identified the accused co-pilot as an Omani national. Investigators are examining his background, possible extremist views and how he was able to work aboard the flight despite reports that concerns had previously been raised about him.

Officials have not publicly established that he was acting on behalf of a terrorist organization.

Hayoun Gets a Hero’s Welcome

Hayoun returned to Israel wearing a shirt stained with blood from the terrifying struggle aboard the aircraft.

Instead of quietly returning to his plumbing business, however, he found himself surrounded by cameras and greeted as a hero.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Hayoun and several other passengers credited with helping stop the attack.

Hayoun also met U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who thanked him for his actions and presented him with a signed “Make America Great Again” hat.

President Donald Trump also publicly praised Hayoun.

“He is a Trump fan. I am a fan of his, a big fan,” Trump said in a video released after the incident.

Trump joked that after hearing what the plumber had managed to accomplish thousands of feet above the ground, Hayoun could work for him anytime.

“He can be my plumber. He can be whatever he wants to be,” Trump said.

An Ordinary Guy in an Extraordinary Situation

Part of Hayoun’s sudden popularity appears to come from just how unlikely the story sounds.

He was not an airline employee.

He was not a commercial pilot.

He boarded the flight as an ordinary passenger and plumber before finding himself inside the cockpit of a rapidly descending Boeing 737 during an apparent attack.

Other passengers also played major roles in preventing disaster, including a dentist and the off-duty pilots who ultimately landed the plane.

Capt. Machchhar has likewise been widely praised for continuing to fight for control of the situation despite suffering serious injuries.

For some Israelis, however, Hayoun has become the blue-collar face of the extraordinary rescue.

American-Israeli Sivan Hadari told the Post that the episode reflected a broader culture of people being prepared to react quickly during emergencies, particularly in a country where military service is common.

Hayoun himself may have boarded the plane as just another passenger.

He walked away as a national hero — and, much to the amusement of Israelis online, proof that apparently even fixing pipes can suddenly become glamorous.