On a Tuesday in late October, the rulers of the United Arab Emirates gathered to honour a group of flydubai crew members for what unfolded over the skies of the region on September 30, when a flight bound from Dubai to Tel Aviv was turned, by one man's alleged violence, toward catastrophe. Among those recognised was Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot who was struck in his own cockpit and yet found the strength to open the door that let others save the flight. It is a reminder of how fragile the line between a routine journey and disaster can be, and how it is often held by ordinary people
UAE Honours flydubai Crew, Including Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar, for Averting Mid-Air Attack
Captain Smit Machchhar was seriously injured in the cockpit attack and needed treatment in Tabuk and later Abu Dhabi; the aircraft lost thousands of feet during the struggle, but all aboard survived.
Seriously injured, he still unlocked the cockpit door.
Mark
Why does this honour matter beyond the ceremony itself?
Mimi
Because it puts an official stamp on a version of events: that the crew stopped an attempt to crash a plane. The Order of Zayed II was conferred by the president, and the Crown Prince of Dubai presented it.
Mark
What was the pivotal moment on the flight?
Mimi
Captain Machchhar, seriously injured, unlocked the cockpit door. That let cabin crew and passengers overpower the attacker.
Luke
Worth being careful here. The co-pilot is described as having allegedly done this. The motive, crashing into Ben Gurion, comes from UAE investigations and prosecutors, not from a court ruling.
Mark
So what is actually established?
Mimi
The flight diverted to Tabuk and landed safely, everyone survived, and Machchhar was treated in Tabuk and then Abu Dhabi.
Luke
And the altitude loss is reported as thousands of feet. No precise figure is given, so I wouldn't lean on it.
Mark
Who flew the plane after the struggle?
Mimi
Two other flydubai pilots who were aboard as passengers took control and diverted it.
Luke
What we still don't know is how the attacker got the axe into play, or what procedures change. That's the part to watch.
Der Puls
- A co-pilot allegedly turned on the captain with a cockpit axe, aiming to drive a passenger jet into Ben Gurion Airport.
- Captain Machchhar, gravely wounded, reached the cockpit door and unlocked it, opening the way for crew and passengers to subdue the attacker.
- Two off-duty flydubai pilots aboard took the controls and steered the aircraft, which had lost thousands of feet, to a safe landing at Tabuk.
- The captain was treated in Tabuk, then moved to Abu Dhabi, while the UAE leadership honoured the crew and prosecutors pursue the case.
On a Tuesday in late October, the rulers of the United Arab Emirates gathered to honour a group of flydubai crew members for what unfolded over the skies of the region on September 30, when a flight bound from Dubai to Tel Aviv was turned, by one man's alleged violence, toward catastrophe. Among those recognised was Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot who was struck in his own cockpit and yet found the strength to open the door that let others save the flight. It is a reminder of how fragile the line between a routine journey and disaster can be, and how it is often held by ordinary people acting in the moment. The allegations remain for the courts to weigh, but the outcome already speaks of lives preserved.
On Tuesday, the leaders of the United Arab Emirates received a group of flydubai crew members and conferred on them the First Class Order of Zayed II. The honour recognised what happened aboard flight FZ1073 on September 30, when, according to UAE investigators, the co-pilot tried to seize the aircraft and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport. Prosecutors later called the episode an attempted terrorist attack.
Among the honoured was Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot who was allegedly struck with a cockpit axe and seriously injured. Hurt as he was, he managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing cabin crew and passengers to overpower the attacker. Two other flydubai pilots travelling on board then took control and diverted the flight to Tabuk, where it landed safely.
The aircraft lost thousands of feet during the struggle, yet every passenger and crew member survived. Machchhar was treated first in Tabuk and then moved to Abu Dhabi for further care. The prosecution's outcome, and any review of cockpit access and security, remain to be seen.
On Tuesday, a group of flydubai crew members was received by the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and honoured for what happened aboard flight FZ1073 on September 30. Among them was Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot who, by the account of UAE investigators, was attacked in his own cockpit with an axe.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on the crew, recognising their courage in protecting passengers. He received them alongside Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The honours themselves 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 professionalism and commitment to passenger safety.
The leaders said that protecting people's lives and ensuring their security remain among the country's highest priorities. According to the Emirates News Agency, WAM, the crew expressed gratitude to the president and said they were proud to be recognised for their service and dedication. Senior officials attended, including 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, Chairman of Dubai Airports and of Emirates Airline and Group.
The flight was bound from Dubai to Tel Aviv when, according to UAE investigations, the co-pilot set out to seize control of the aircraft and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport. UAE prosecutors later described the episode as an attempted terrorist attack. The co-pilot is alleged to have struck Machchhar with a cockpit axe, leaving him seriously injured.
Machchhar, hurt as he was, managed to unlock the cockpit door. That opened the way for cabin crew members and passengers to step in and overpower the attacker. Two other flydubai pilots, who were travelling aboard the aircraft, then took control and diverted the flight to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
The aircraft reportedly lost thousands of feet in altitude during the struggle. Even so, every passenger and crew member survived. Machchhar was first treated at a hospital in Tabuk and was later transferred to Abu Dhabi for further medical care and recovery.
The account of the attack rests on UAE investigations and the prosecutors' description, and the co-pilot is described as having allegedly carried it out. What to watch next is the outcome of the prosecution, along with any review of cockpit access and security procedures that follows from the incident.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
Protecting people's lives and ensuring their security remain among the country's highest priorities.— UAE leaders, as reported by WAM
Möchten Sie die ganze Geschichte?
Das Original lesen bei Moneycontrol ↗
Politics & Governance