New Delhi: Israel will honour Indian flydubai captain Smit Machchhar with its Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism for his actions during a cockpit attack aboard a Tel Aviv-bound flight on September 30. The announcement came as six Israeli passengers received bravery medals for helping overcome the attacker after the seriously injured captain opened the cockpit door.
The Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, announced the planned honour during a ceremony at the president’s residence in Jerusalem on Thursday. While the six Israelis received their medals at the event, Machchhar’s award will be presented once he has recovered sufficiently, following the award committee’s recommendation.
“Captain Machchhar’s courage, bravery and professionalism helped prevent this catastrophe,” Herzog said, paying tribute to the Indian pilot. He also thanked the replacement pilots, cabin crew and passengers whose combined response brought the aircraft to safety.
Israel’s Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism recognizes people who risk their lives to protect others. Established under Herzog, it is separate from Israel’s Presidential Medal of Honor, which recognizes broader contributions to the state or humanity.
The cockpit attack and passengers who intervened
Flydubai Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with approximately 174 people aboard when the copilot, an Omani national, attacked Machchhar with a crash axe inside the cockpit. The Boeing 737 entered a steep descent as the copilot attempted to seize control, according to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) attorney general.
Machchhar suffered serious injuries but managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to enter. The copilot was subdued and two other pilots travelling aboard helped regain control before diverting the flight to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Herzog presented the civilian heroism award to Tali Manes, Zvika Manes, Yaniv Hayoun, Dr Shota Musayev, Asaf Rajuan and Or Pardilov for their roles in preventing the alleged hijacking attempt, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Tali Manes was credited with raising the alarm, while Hayoun, Zvika Manes, Pardilov and Rajuan helped overpower the copilot. Musayev, a doctor, provided medical assistance to the injured captain.
“Today we gather in Jerusalem to honour six seemingly ordinary Israelis who proved to be extraordinary human beings, true heroes, by saving the flight last week,” Herzog said.
“Thanks to their courage, determination and remarkable presence of mind, these heroes prevented a devastating aviation disaster that would have shocked the entire world and saved 174 precious lives.”
The Israeli president also thanked the replacement pilots and other passengers who assisted during the emergency. However, he emphasized that their courage did not diminish the need for a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The civilian bravery and resourcefulness demonstrated by the heroes gathered here cannot absolve us of the obligation to obtain full answers,” Herzog said.
International recognition grows
The Israeli honour follows public praise from the prime minister, Narendra Modi, and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu also invited Machchhar and Modi to participate in Israel’s Independence Day celebrations next year, a separate recognition from the civilian bravery award.
Modi spoke with Machchhar over a video call during his recovery, heard his account of the cockpit struggle and thanked him for his courage, as RNA Media reported earlier.
The Gujarat government has separately announced the Visisht Gujarat Garima Award and a ₹25 lakh cash reward for the pilot. The state honour has not yet been presented and will be conferred upon him after his recovery.
Recognition has also reached Washington, where three lawmakers introduced a House resolution on October 5 commending Machchhar, the other pilots, cabin crew and passengers. The measure was referred to the house foreign affairs committee and has not been passed.
The Indian embassy in the UAE said on October 6 that Machchhar was making steady progress. The Ministry of External Affairs subsequently said he was recovering after surgery in Abu Dhabi, while a family member told NDTV that he had since been moved to a Dubai hospital and managed to walk 10 steps.
Machchhar previously spent more than a decade with SpiceJet before joining flydubai in 2022, as RNA Media detailed in an earlier profile. His actions were central to the rescue, but the Israeli ceremony also recognized the passengers and crew whose coordinated intervention helped bring the aircraft safely to the ground.