Highlights
- Israeli president Isaac Herzog says Machchhar will receive the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.
- The Indian pilot was stabbed by his co-pilot during a flight on September 30.
- Six other people aboard the aircraft received the award for helping prevent the plane from crashing.
ISRAEL will honour Indian pilot Smit Machchhar with its highest civilian award for heroism after he fought off an attack by his co-pilot aboard a flydubai flight, president Isaac Herzog has announced.
Herzog said Machchhar would receive the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism in recognition of his courage and professionalism during the September 30 incident, which helped save the lives of 172 passengers and fellow crew members aboard Flight 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
“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 at a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Thursday (8).
Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot, Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, in what was described as an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft.
“His sheer courage and bravery and sound professionalism helped avert this catastrophe,” Herzog said. “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.”
Machchhar is recovering in a hospital in the United Arab Emirates. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both praised him for his actions.
Six others receive bravery awards
The award was presented on Thursday to six other people who were aboard the flight and helped prevent the attacker from crashing the aircraft. They were Tali Manes, Zvika Manes, Yaniv Hayoun, Shota Musayev, Asaf Rajuan and Or Pardilov.
Praising their actions, Herzog said they had made a “simple, human, and profoundly Israeli act” by choosing to save lives when faced with a critical decision.
“At the moment when a choice had to be made, you chose life,” he said, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism is Israel’s highest civilian honour for acts of bravery. Established by Herzog after the October 7, 2023, attacks, it recognises people who risk their lives to save others.
Herzog calls for international cooperation
Herzog also used the ceremony to call for international cooperation against terrorism, drawing a parallel between the passengers and crew who acted together during the flight and the need for countries to work together against threats.
“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,” he said.
Referring to the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks, Herzog said Israel had learnt through painful sacrifice the importance of confronting threats through preparation, determination and international cooperation.
He also expressed confidence in the investigation being conducted by the United Arab Emirates.
Machchhar’s award will be presented once he has recovered sufficiently to attend the ceremony, Herzog said.
(with inputs from PTI)
