UAE honours Indian pilot Smit Machchhar

• UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar and fellow flydubai crew members on October 28.

• The award recognises their courageous efforts to ensure passenger safety during an attempted mid-air attack aboard a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight on September 30.

• The First Class Order of Zayed II is a high-level civil decoration of the United Arab Emirates conferred by the UAE President to honour individuals, diplomats, officials, and crew members for distinguished service, courage, or contributions to strengthening bilateral and international relations.

• The medals were presented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.

What happened during the flight?

• On September 30, the flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, had transmitted emergency signals and made a sharp descent of more than 17,000 feet from 34,000 feet before diverting to Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airport in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk city. 

• The flight was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children.

• Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot with a crash axe, typically kept in the cockpit for use in emergencies, seriously injuring him. 

• Machchhar was covered with blood on the floor, but he managed to click open the release on the cockpit door.

• That allowed passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot and enable a second pair of flydubai pilots who were on board to land the jet in Tabuk.

• The crew successfully neutralised the mid-air cockpit attack, safeguarding passengers and ensuring the aircraft's safe landing in Saudi Arabia.