Indian pilot Smit Machchhar defended a Flydubai aircraft from a crash‑axe assault by co‑pilot Hammam Al‑Hammami, forcing the attacker to retreat and allowing 174 passengers to escape—an act that averted a planned catastrophe.
The attack unfolded in the cramped cockpit, where Al‑Hammami, an Omani national, brandished a heavy axe and threatened to seize control of the aircraft, reportedly intending to fly it to Tel Aviv and crash it into a building. Despite bleeding heavily and sustaining serious injuries, Machchhar managed to pry open the cockpit door, enabling Israeli passengers to intervene and overpower the assailant.
Captain Machchhar is currently recuperating at a hospital in the UAE, where doctors are treating his wounds while the flight crew and airline staff await his return to duty.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced that the pilot would receive the State of Israel's Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism upon his recovery, adding, "Captain Machchhar's bravery helped avert a catastrophe and deserves the highest honor of our country."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking to Machchhar during his treatment, praised his courage and extended an invitation for the pilot and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light a flame at Israel's Independence Day ceremony, a gesture normally reserved for Israeli citizens.
The gesture, echoed by U.S. President Donald Trump, underscores the international solidarity behind the pilot's heroism, while Israeli passengers who helped subdue the attacker were also honored for their quick action.
As Machchhar continues his recovery, the Israeli government plans to present the award in a formal ceremony scheduled for late April, pending the captain's health.