Highlights:
Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar who helped prevent a passenger aircraft from becoming the site of a potential mass-casualty disaster is set to receive one of Israel’s highest honors for civilian bravery. He was stabbed by his co-pilot aboard flydubai Flight 1073 during an apparent attempt to crash the plane, will receive Israel’s Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism, President Isaac Herzog announced Thursday (8).
Machchhar was among the crew members aboard the September 30 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which was carrying 172 passengers. Despite his injuries, his courage and professionalism helped avert what Israeli officials described as a potential catastrophe.
The announcement comes as Machchhar continues recovering in a hospital in the United Arab Emirates.
‘Sheer courage and bravery’ that helped save lives
At a ceremony held Thursday (8) at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, Herzog presented the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism to six individuals who helped prevent the alleged hijacking attempt.
Machchhar could not attend because of his injuries. Herzog said he would personally present the award to the Indian captain once he had recovered sufficiently.
"Alongside the Israeli heroes whom we honour today, we send our heartfelt wishes for the full and speedy recovery of Captain Smit Machchhar of India," Herzog said during the ceremony.
Praising the pilot’s actions, he added: "Machchhar's sheer courage and bravery and sound professionalism helped avert this catastrophe. Once he regains strength, it will be my honour and privilege to award him, on behalf of the people of Israel, the State of Israel's Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism,"
The recognition places Machchhar among individuals whose actions have been deemed exceptional examples of courage in the face of immediate danger.
What happened aboard flight 1073?
On September 30, Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot, identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, in what authorities described as an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft.
Machchhar’s response helped protect the 172 passengers and fellow crew members aboard the flight.
The incident could have ended in disaster, but the actions of the captain and other people aboard the aircraft helped prevent the situation from escalating into a mass-casualty event.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both hailed Machchhar as a hero.
His recovery is now being closely watched in India and Israel, with Herzog expressing hope that the captain will regain his strength and attend a future ceremony to receive the honor in person.
Six others honored for preventing disaster
While Machchhar will receive his award after recovering, six other individuals were honored during Thursday’s ceremony for their roles in preventing the would-be hijacker from crashing the aircraft.
The recipients were Tali Manes, Zvika Manes, Yaniv Hayoun, Shota Musayev, Asaf Rajuan and Or Pardilov, according to the Israeli President’s Office.
Herzog praised their actions as an example of ordinary people making extraordinary decisions when confronted with danger.
He described their response as a “simple, human, and profoundly Israeli act: At the moment when a choice had to be made – you chose life. For all of this, I award you today the President's Medal for Civilian Bravery,” The Jerusalem Post reported.
The award recognizes people who demonstrate exceptional heroism at genuine risk to their own lives while acting out of a sense of mutual responsibility and a desire to save human life.
Established by Herzog following the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism is the country’s highest civilian honor for acts of heroism.
Herzog calls for international unity against terrorism
The ceremony also carried a wider message about international cooperation in responding to terrorism.
Herzog said the incident demonstrated how people from different nationalities could work together in an emergency, regardless of their backgrounds.
"There is a profound lesson we must draw from this remarkable story: just as people from different nations joined forces to save that aircraft, so too must the international community stand united against the global threat of terror."
His remarks came as Israel marked the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attacks, which profoundly affected the country and its people.
"Yesterday we marked the third anniversary of the single most barbaric, murderous attack on the State of Israel and its citizens. October 7, 2023, scarred the Israeli people irrevocably, and the trauma will be palpable for generations. We have learned, through painful sacrifice, what it means to face an existential threat."
Herzog said international cooperation was essential to confronting such threats, while also expressing confidence in the investigation being conducted by the UAE.
"And we have learned that confronting it requires foresight, determination, and, above all, international cooperation in fighting terror. I have absolute confidence in the thorough investigation conducted by our dear friends in the United Arab Emirates, whom we greatly respect."
