Six Passengers Who Saved Flydubai Flight FZ1073 Chosen for Herzog's Civilian Heroism Award
Or Bardilov, Yaniv Hayun, Dr. Shota Musayev, Tali Manes, Zvika Manes and Assaf Rajuan were selected for the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism, in a ceremony scheduled at the President's Residence on Thursday at 15:30.
President Isaac Herzog was scheduled to present Israel's highest award for civilian heroism on Thursday, October 8, to six passengers who stopped an attack in the cockpit of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv and helped bring the aircraft down safely. The ceremony at the President's Residence in Jerusalem was set for 15:30, the residence announced on October 6, and JNS reported the same time on the day.
The six recipients
The Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism was to go to Or Bardilov, Yaniv Hayun, Dr. Shota Musayev, Tali Manes, Zvika Manes and Assaf Rajuan. Herzog first announced on October 1 that he would recommend Hayun, Musayev, Zvika Manes and Rajuan, then added Tali Manes the same day after further testimony. Bardilov's inclusion was confirmed in the ceremony announcement, as reported by Israel National News; JNS spells his name Or Pardilov. The published accounts do not describe his individual role on the flight.
What happened on the flight
According to the President's Residence, the emergency on September 30 began when one pilot stabbed the other and the aircraft started to lose altitude. The Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, fought off his attacker and managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to rush in.
Hayun, Zvika Manes and Rajuan entered the cockpit and helped subdue the attacker. Hayun is credited with stabilizing the controls. Dr. Musayev then treated the badly wounded captain and kept him stable until the aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
Tali Manes was the one who raised the alarm. She heard the violence in the cockpit, alerted the other passengers and called for help, and after the attacker was overpowered she called for any pilots among the passengers to come forward and assist.
Flight FZ1073 and the UAE inquiry
The aircraft was flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which diverted to Tabuk on September 30. ABC News reported that flydubai acknowledged an incident on board and the diversion, and that UAE prosecutors had opened an inquiry, citing the UAE state news agency WAM.
Israeli officials alleged that the co-pilot attacked the captain and tried to bring the aircraft down, and the UAE inquiry is examining his motive and possible terrorist planning, according to ABC. On October 5, Reuters reported that two Israeli officials alleged the attack had been planned in advance. These remain allegations under investigation, not a judicial finding; the award recognises what the passengers did to save the people on board.
The award
Herzog established the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism after October 7, 2023 to recognize civilians who risked their lives to save others, following the acts of courage on that day and during the war. The flydubai passengers are the first recipients honored for an incident outside Israel's borders.
A story that moved the country
The rescue, carried out by ordinary passengers on a routine flight, has been one of the few uplifting stories of a difficult autumn. Thursday's ceremony was scheduled as the first time the six would be honored together, alongside the Transportation Ministry's review of how an attacker reached the cockpit of a flight bound for Israel.
