Ironi Ness Ziona representatives visited Yaniv Hayoun, a city resident who was among the passengers who helped save a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel. Club founder Yaniv Mizrahi, Meir Tapiro, Adam Ariel, and Jacob Wiley attended the visit and heard from Hayoun, his wife Meital, and their daughters about the dramatic events that unfolded during the flight.
At the end of the meeting, team officials presented the family with an Ironi Ness Ziona scarf and jersey, inviting them to be guests of honor at the team's first home game of the season.
Adam Ariel said: "We were moved to visit Yaniv and the Hayoun family and listen to an extraordinary story of courage and determination that inspired us. We wish the family only the best and will be delighted to host them at Lev Hamoshava."
Hayoun, 38, from Ness Ziona and a plumber by profession, was aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which carried 174 passengers. During the flight, the copilot attacked the captain, sending the plane into a steep dive. Hayoun was among the passengers who broke into the cockpit, helped subdue the attacker, and then pulled back on the controls, helping stabilize the aircraft until another pilot took command.
Since the incident, Hayoun has gained widespread recognition in Israel and around the world. He shared that he learned how to respond to a plane's dive from watching a series on aviation disasters, and he even received praise from US President Donald Trump. The Ness Ziona Municipality announced that he will receive the City Hero Citation, and in Israel it was also reported that he is among those designated to torch the "Civil Valor" beacon on Independence Day.