Sheikh Mohamed Assures Flydubai Crew Who Saved 174 Lives: ‘The UAE Will Always Be Your Home’.
Dubai: With his left arm in a sling, his hand wrapped in thick white bandages and a fresh scar along the side of his head, Captain Smit Machchhar walked into the room and was soon embraced by the UAE President.
“It’s my honour, Your Highness,” the flydubai pilot said softly as His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held him close.
Less than a month earlier, Machchhar had been struggling to remain conscious in the cockpit of flight FZ1073, bleeding from a head wound as 174 passengers and his crew depended on him. Now, he stood alongside those same colleagues as they received the First Class Order of Zayed II, one of the UAE’s highest honours.
“We are lucky to have you,” Sheikh Mohamed told him.
“I’m very lucky to be a part of this,” the captain replied.
Noticing his bandaged hand, the President asked how long it would take to heal.
“Maybe two months,” Machchhar said.
Sheikh Mohamed smiled and responded: “So I have an idea. When you heal, I want to have a session with you, to train you how to fight.”
For a man who had confronted an attacker mid-flight, the offer was especially meaningful.
“It’s my biggest honour,” Machchhar said.
‘UAE is your country’
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, moved along the line, shaking hands with each crew member and telling them, “Well done, well done.”
One of the pilots, standing beside him with a hand over his heart, said: “I’m very grateful to be here and be a part of this.”
The UAE President then turned towards the entire team and beckoned them closer.
“Guys, come here, come here,” he said as the pilots in white shirts and cabin crew members in blue blazers gathered around him.
“Whatever happened in your life, UAE is your country, and there’s a home for you here, and you have a family,” he told them.
Videos capturing the exchange have since gone viral on social media, with many viewers moved by the President’s warm and reassuring words to the crew.
The emotional encounter was accompanied by formal recognition of the team’s bravery. Sheikh Mohamed conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on the crew in recognition of their courage in protecting passengers and ensuring the aircraft’s safety.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, presented the honours and praised the crew for demonstrating responsibility and composure under extraordinary pressure.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, attended the ceremony alongside several other officials.
The crew said they were proud to receive the distinction, describing it as a reflection of their service, dedication and commitment.
The door that saved 174 lives
The crew’s courage was put to the test on September 30, when flight FZ1073 departed Dubai for Tel Aviv carrying 174 passengers and eight crew members. Midway through the journey, the captain was attacked inside the cockpit.
He later recalled checking the flight information when a heavy blow struck the back of his head. Despite repeatedly drifting in and out of consciousness, one thought kept him going: he could not let himself die that way. Seriously injured, he managed to reach the cockpit door and unlock it.
That single action changed the course of the flight. Crew members and passengers rushed to intervene, overpowered the attacker and helped regain control of the aircraft.
Prosecutors have identified the alleged attacker as the 29-year-old co-pilot, who they say planned to bring the aircraft down over Tel Aviv.
The plane was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. A passenger who was a dentist helped control the captain’s bleeding and stabilise his condition.
Machchhar received medical treatment in Tabuk before being flown back to the UAE. Sheikh Hamdan visited him in hospital several days later.
Praise from around the world
In the weeks following the incident, the courage shown by the crew and passengers drew recognition well beyond the UAE.
The General Civil Aviation Authority commended the captain, crew members and passengers for their actions, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Machchhar as a hero.
Israeli leaders announced honours for the captain and the passengers who intervened during the incident. In the United States, President Donald Trump praised Machchhar’s bravery, and the House of Representatives passed a resolution recognising the crew and passengers.
The crew of flight FZ1073 had helped protect 174 passengers in the air. On the ground, the UAE made clear that those who risked their lives to save others would continue to have its support.
