UAE Confers Order of Zayed II on Indian Pilot and Flydubai Crew for Courage During Mid-Air Attack

The United Arab Emirates has conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar and his fellow Flydubai crew members, recognising their efforts to protect passengers during an attempted attack in the cockpit of a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight.

President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan awarded the honour. The medals were presented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, who praised the crew’s actions and sense of responsibility, the Dubai Media Office said in a statement on Tuesday.

What happened on Flight 1073

The incident occurred on September 30 aboard the Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 carrying 174 passengers. According to UAE authorities, the co-pilot attempted to carry out a terrorist act, using a crash axe against the captain and trying to seize the flight controls. UAE prosecutors have said the suspect tried to crash the aircraft into Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport. The investigation is continuing, and the final results have yet to be announced.

Machchhar was wounded in the attack, and the aircraft plunged 17,000 feet in under a minute over the Arabian Desert. Despite his injuries, the captain managed to open the cockpit door and seek help. Crew members and passengers then restrained the suspect and rescued the injured captain. The aircraft was diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The suspect was arrested by Saudi authorities and handed over to the UAE, which is leading the inquiry.

Machchhar later described the ordeal in an interview, saying he was fighting for his life in that moment. His family has called his survival a miracle.

How India has responded

Recognition in India has so far come as praise and a state-level award, while the highest formal honour has come from the UAE.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly called the captain a hero, saying he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others despite his injuries. On October 2, Modi spoke to Machchhar by video call while the pilot was recovering in a UAE hospital, and said his actions had helped save hundreds of lives and averted a great tragedy. The Vice President also hailed the pilot.

The Gujarat government has announced the Visisht Gujarat Garima Award for Machchhar, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel calling him a valiant son of Gujarat.

No national decoration from the Government of India, such as a gallantry or civilian award, has been reported for Machchhar to date. India’s national civilian awards, the Padma honours, are traditionally announced around Republic Day each January, so any central recognition would likely come later, if it comes at all.

What comes next

The UAE’s decision gives the episode formal weight beyond the airline. The Order of Zayed II is among the country’s top civilian honours, and its award to a foreign national and his crew underscores how seriously Emirati authorities regard the incident, which they have classified as an attempted terrorist act. The investigation into the co-pilot’s motives and any possible links is still under way. Israel’s prime minister has said Israel is looking into whether the co-pilot acted under anyone’s direction. Flydubai has halted flights on its Israel route since the attack.