Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar received the United Arab Emirates’ First Class Order of Zayed II on Wednesday while recovering from a Sept. 30 cockpit attack, The Independent reported.
Machchhar told the UAE president he expected to need two more months to recover. He attended the ceremony with one arm in a sling and stitches at the back of his head, the newspaper said. The award recognized his role in helping stop what authorities believe was an attempted suicide attack aimed at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, according to the report.
Flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv and was in Saudi airspace when the co-pilot struck Machchhar with a crash axe, The Independent reported. The aircraft lost 16,000 feet in 30 seconds before two other pilots aboard landed it safely in Saudi Arabia, the paper said.
The UAE president offered to train with Machchhar after he recovered and suggested he learn jiu-jitsu, The Independent reported. In an earlier account of the cockpit assault, EconoTimes reported Machchhar’s description of trying to open the cockpit door and call for help.
