On a flydubai flight last week, Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot, stopped co‑pilot Hammam Al‑Hammami from commandeering the aircraft after the latter struck him with a crash axe, saving 174 passengers and crew.
Machchhar suffered a fractured skull and massive blood loss but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing Israeli passengers to storm in and seize the co‑pilot.
He was rushed to Al‑Jazira Hospital in the UAE, where surgeons performed emergency surgery. Medical staff said his condition is critical but improving.
President Isaac Herzog, speaking from the Israeli White House, pledged the State of Israel’s Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism for Machchhar once he recovers, adding, "His bravery helped avert a catastrophe."
Israeli officials revealed Al‑Hammami had planned to fly the plane to Tel Aviv and crash it into a skyscraper, but off‑duty pilots diverted the aircraft to Saudi Arabia, landing it safely.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former U.S. President Donald Trump have all lauded Machchhar’s bravery. The award ceremony is scheduled for July 15, 2024, pending his recovery.