New Delhi: A long line of stitches across the back of Indian pilot captain Smit Machchhar’s head has given a clear glimpse of the injuries he suffered when his co-pilot attacked him inside a flydubai aircraft in September. Images from a ceremony in the United Arab Emirates show Machchhar with his head stitched, one hand bandaged and his arm supported in a sling, nearly a month after the incident.
The pilot was attending an event where the UAE honoured him and fellow crew members for protecting passengers aboard flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. A video from the meeting also captured a lighter exchange between Machchhar and the UAE president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as the president asked about his recovery.
“When will you heal?” Sheikh Mohamed asked Machchhar, who estimated that his recovery could take around two months. The president then joked that he wanted to train the pilot how to fight once he had recovered, prompting laughter from both. “It’s my biggest honour,” Machchhar replied.
The video also showed Sheikh Mohamed examining the pilot’s head injury and speaking warmly to the crew. The interaction drew attention to the physical injuries Machchhar continues to recover from following the cockpit assault.
Pilot suffered skull fracture in cockpit attack
Machchhar was reportedly struck on the head with a cockpit crash axe by his co-pilot, Hamam Al Hammami, during the September 30 flight. According to reports, attack caused a compound depressed skull fracture, a serious injury in which broken bone fragments are pushed inward.
He also sustained other injuries and underwent several hours of surgery after the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. He was later transferred to Abu Dhabi for further medical care and neurological monitoring.
Despite being injured, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene. Two other pilots aboard the aircraft took control and landed it safely in Tabuk.
UAE honours Machchhar and flydubai crew
The UAE president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on the flydubai crew members involved in the September incident on Tuesday, according to the Emirates News Agency. The honour recognized their efforts to protect passengers during the in-flight emergency.
The Dubai crown prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the UAE’s deputy prime minister and minister of defence, presented the honours and commended the crew for their actions and sense of responsibility. The crew thanked the UAE president and expressed pride in receiving the recognition.
The ceremony was attended by Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy chairman of the presidential court for development and fallen heroes’ affairs; and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai civil aviation authority, chairman of Dubai Airports, and chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, along with other officials.
The recognition followed praise for Machchhar in India as well. The prime minister, Narendra Modi, previously described him as a “true hero”, while the Gujarat government presented him with the Vishisht Gujarat Garima Award. Israel has also proposed a Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism, as RNA Media earlier reported.