# Flydubai hero pilot who saved flight when ‘terrorist co-pilot attacked him and tried to crash the plane’ shows off sickening head scars as he accepts UAE bravery medal

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/flydubai-hero-pilot-who-saved-flight-when-terrorist-co-pilot-attacked-him-and-tried-to-crash-the-plane-shows-off-sickening-head-scars-as-he-accepts-uae-bravery-medal/
- Published: 2026-10-28T19:27:09+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T19:54:50+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16246681/Flydubai-hero-pilot-saved-flight-attacked-tried-crash-plane-head-scars-UAE-bravery-medal.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Culture, Travel, World

## Key points

- Captain Machchhar received a UAE bravery medal.
- Crew and passengers helped stop an alleged cockpit takeover.
- The plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

## Summary

Captain Smit Machchhar has received the UAE’s First Class Order of Zayed II for helping stop an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to seize a Flydubai aircraft. Despite suffering a serious head injury, he opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to help restrain the co-pilot and prevent the plane from reaching its alleged target.

The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September when Hamam al-Hammami, 29, allegedly attacked Machchhar with a crash axe. The aircraft lost 14,000 feet in 29 seconds before the crew regained control and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The UAE attorney-general said al-Hammami confessed and had developed extremist views; Machchhar’s fellow crew members also received bravery medals.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.