Source : BRICS NEWS
The United Arab Emirates has awarded Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar one of its highest honours for his bravery during an attempted terrorist attack aboard a flydubai passenger jet in September.
BRICS News reported the honour in a post on X, saying the UAE had awarded Machchhar “one of its highest honors for bravery during attempted flydubai terror attack.”
https://x.com/BRICSinfo/status/2115473760518300074
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on the flydubai crew members involved in the in-flight incident, “in recognition of their courageous efforts to ensure the safety of passengers”, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on October 27, 2026.
The honours were presented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, who commended the crew’s actions and sense of responsibility. According to The National, the crew were received at a council in Abu Dhabi attended by senior members of the UAE leadership, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
The leaders paid tribute to the crew for the high level of responsibility they showed in maintaining passenger safety, stressing that preserving human safety and security is the UAE’s highest priority, The National said. The crew members thanked the President and expressed their pride in receiving the honour, WAM reported.
The incident took place on September 30 aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with more than 170 people on board, according to The Hindu. Machchhar was attacked in the cockpit by his co-pilot with a crash axe and seriously injured, as the aircraft went into a steep dive.
Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to release the cockpit door, allowing crew members and passengers to overpower the co-pilot. A second pair of flydubai pilots travelling on board then helped bring the aircraft under control, and it landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, The Hindu reported.
UAE authorities later described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack. According to The National, UAE prosecutors said the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot had tried to crash the Boeing 737 into Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, and his confession indicated that he had been inspired by the September 11, 2001 attacks. The co-pilot was taken into custody, while Machchhar was treated in hospital in Tabuk before being transferred to Abu Dhabi.
“As long as you walk out of the aircraft safely, that’s what I want,” Machchhar told The National, reflecting on the moment the suspect was restrained.
NDTV reported that passengers, including two off-roster pilots, helped take control of the aircraft within minutes of Machchhar opening the cockpit door, averting the alleged crash attempt. UAE leaders credited the crew’s swift and decisive actions with saving lives on board, according to The National.
The First Class Order of Zayed II is one of the UAE’s state civil honours, conferred directly by the President and named after the country’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Gulf News said it is distinct from the Order of Zayed, the UAE’s highest civilian honour, and is awarded for distinguished service, heroic actions and contributions to the country’s international relations. The Order of Zayed itself has been presented to prominent world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019.
Credit : BRICS News’s X
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