UAE Honours Indian Pilot and Crew for Thwarting Cockpit Attack

United Arab Emirates leaders honored an Indian pilot and his airline crew on Tuesday for their bravery during a violent cockpit attack on a commercial flight last month.

President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan awarded the First Class Order of Zayed II to Captain Smit Machchhar and the other flight crew members at a ceremony in the country.

The recognition followed an incident on September 30 aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the captain faced a sudden assault in the flight deck.

The recognition matters because the quick intervention by the crew and passengers prevented a catastrophic accident when the aircraft dropped rapidly in altitude over the Middle East.

During the flight, the captain was unexpectedly attacked by his co-pilot with a crash axe, according to the Hindustan Times and the Times of India.

Despite sustaining severe head injuries while the plane plunged thousands of feet, Machchhar unlocked the cockpit door so others could rush inside to subdue the attacker.

Two other flydubai pilots traveling as passengers took control of the aircraft and guided it to a safe landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, the Times of India reported.

Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the medals and praised the crew members for their dedication to saving human lives during the emergency.

Recalling the harrowing event during an earlier interview, Machchhar said, "I told myself that, Smit, do something. You can’t die like this."

He also praised the cabin workers for their swift response, stating, "very, very, very efficient crew who saved my life."

Photographs of the captain showing extensive stitches across his head have drawn widespread international attention and tributes from political leaders globally.

The suspect, identified by Israeli authorities as an Omani national, was taken into custody following the flight, though investigators have not yet established a motive for the attack.