Pilot Smit Machchhar To Receive Israel's Top Civilian Bravery Award

Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar will receive the highest civilian bravery award in Israel after fighting off an attack inside a Flydubai cockpit. ABP Live English, Times Now, The Times of India, and WION all reported the decision to honour the captain. WION noted that the pilot's actions helped save 174 lives during the incident. [1][2][3][4][5][7]

The incident occurred on 30 September 2026 aboard Flydubai Flight 1073, an international passenger flight from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. While en route, first officer Hamam al-Hammami attacked Captain Machchhar inside the cockpit of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Israeli and United Arab Emirates officials described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack. [8][10]

Despite sustaining life-threatening injuries during the assault, Machchhar managed to open the locked cockpit door from the inside. This action enabled crew members and passengers to intervene quickly and subdue the attacker. As HEROIC BREAKING NEWS reported earlier, Captain Machchhar is recovering well and walking again after the emergency. [8][11]

Following the intervention by the crew and passengers, the airplane made a safe emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The flight landed safely with no reported fatalities among the passengers and crew on board. [8][11]