India
UAE medals Smit Machchhar after FZ1073 axe attack
The Hindu·
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on Captain Smit Machchhar and flydubai crew. Dubai Media Office said Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed presented the medals on October 27. The honour covers September 30 aboard flight FZ1073 with more than 170 people. Machchhar was attacked with a crash axe.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Indian crew on Gulf routes see a UAE state honour tied to cockpit security after a mid-air assault.
- Passengers on FZ1073 faced an emergency diversion to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, before later care moves.
- The First Class Order of Zayed II is a UAE civil decoration for courage and service.
What's Happening
- Israeli officials identified the co-pilot as Omani; the jet plunged nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds.
- Machchhar opened the cockpit door so passengers and crew could overpower the attacker.
- A second pair of flydubai pilots on board landed the aircraft; the co-pilot was taken into custody.
Timeline Of Flight FZ1073
- The Dubai-Tel Aviv service carried more than 170 people on September 30.
- Machchhar was treated first in Tabuk, then transferred to Abu Dhabi.
- The motive for the attack remains unclear in the official account.
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