Canadian TV Show "Air Crash Investigation" Credited with Helping Foil FlyDubai Hijacking

On a recent Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, first officer Hamam al-Hammami attacked captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency axe and sent the plane into a 14,000-foot nosedive in 29 seconds. Machchhar unlocked the cockpit, allowing crew and passengers to subdue Hammami. Israeli plumber Yaniv Hayun pulled back the yoke, helping stabilize the aircraft before two off-duty pilots landed it safely in Saudi Arabia. Hayun later told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he learned this action from watching the Canadian documentary series "Air Crash Investigation." The show, also known as "Mayday," launched in 2003 and is now in its 27th season, airing in about 150 countries. It has analyzed over 250 disasters. Executive producer Alex Bystram noted the irony that a viewer used the show's lessons in a real emergency. Former NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti called the recovery "miraculous" but was skeptical that Hayun's action was decisive. The Emirati attorney general stated Hammami, inspired by 9/11, intended to crash into Ben Gurion Airport's terminal. The incident occurred days before Israel was to mark the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks.