Airlines captain Smit Machchhar, who is recovering well at a hospital in the UAE from a skull fracture he sustained during his valiant fight against his copilot inside a flydubai plane’s cockpit, will be conferred with Israel’s highest bravery award for civilians—the State of Israel’s Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced on Thursday, October 8, that the Indian pilot who saved the lives of 174 passengers and crew members aboard the flydubai plane by fighting off an attack from his Omani copilot Hammam Al-Hammami, will be given the award after he regains his strength.
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“Along with the Israeli heroes whom we honour today, we send our heartfelt wishes for the full and speedy recovery of Captain Smit Machchhar of India. Captain Machchhar’s sheer bravery and sound professionalism helped avert a catastrophe. Once he regains his strength, it will be my privilege to award him, on behalf of the people of Israel, the State of Israel’s Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism,” said Herzog.
The “heroism” awards were presented by the Israeli President to five Israelis who helped overpower Al-Hammami and foiled his plans to crash the plane.
Machchhar was attacked by Al-Hammami with a crash axe that is usually kept in the cockpit for emergency use. He was seriously injured, bleeding all over, but he managed to open the door of the cockpit, allowing Israeli passengers to enter the cockpit and overpower Al-Hammami.
The heroism 38-year-old Captain Smit Machchhar displayed has been praised highly by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.
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While presenting the “heroism” awards to the five Israelis on October 8, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, “You put yourselves at risk to save others and prevented a terrible disaster. Today, the whole world saw the beautiful and courageous face of Israeli society”.
Captain Machchhar’s family said on Wednesday, October 8, that he has been transferred to a hospital in Dubai from Abu Dhabi and that he is recovering well. Machchhar, in fact, walked 10 steps on Tuesday, a family member told NDTV.
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As soon as the flydubai plane made an emergency landing at an airbase in Saudi Arabia, a profusely bleeding Captain Machchhar was rushed to a hospital there. An emergency surgery was performed on him and his fractured skull was reconstructed. He was then transferred to another facility in Abu Dhabi in the UAE by air.
Speaking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a video call last week, Captain Machchhar gave a description of the skirmish inside the cockpit. He said he was lying on the floor of the cockpit, bleeding and still being attacked, when he realised the plane was sinking and that he must act fast to stop that.
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“I was lying on the floor injured, but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside,” he told Modi. “Others came in and also played a role [in stabilising the plane and ending the attack on him]. I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die,” added Captain Machchhar.
