Captain Smit Machchhar awarded First Class Order of Zayed II
Captain Smit Machchhar from flydubai just received the UAE's First Class Order of Zayed II for his bravery during a attempted mid-air attack.
Back on September 30, 2026, his co-pilot attacked him with a crash ax while flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Even though he was seriously hurt, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door so passengers and crew could step in and help stop the attacker, preventing what could have been a disaster.
Smit Machchhar recovering in Abu Dhabi
President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the award on Machchhar and his crew, recognizing their efforts to protect passengers.
The ceremony even showed how severe Machchhar's injuries were. Crown Prince Hamdan visited him during recovery, praising his courage in averting a possible tragedy.
The flight ended up landing safely in Saudi Arabia, with the co-pilot taken into custody and Machchhar now recovering in Abu Dhabi.