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Axe Attack Survivor Captain Receives Zayed II Order

By Drooid · Oct 29, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

UAE awarded Captain Smit Machchhar the First Class Order of Zayed II on October 27.
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the award.
Machchhar became the third recipient after ambassadors Navdeep Singh Suri (2019) and Sunjay Sudhir (2025).
On September 30, an Omani co-pilot attacked Machchhar with an axe during Flight 1073.
Despite stab wounds, he opened the cockpit door, allowing the crew to land in Tabuk, saving 174.

History

On September 11 2001 al-Qaeda hijackers seized four U.S. airliners, prompting the FAA to halt all U.S. flights and divert roughly 500 aircraft, a response that spurred worldwide cockpit-door upgrades and the 2002 creation of the Department of Homeland Security. The heroism of Captain Smit Machchhar on Flight 1073 echoes the security reforms and individual bravery demanded after that attack.

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On September 11 2001 al-Qaeda hijackers seized four U.S. airliners, prompting the FAA to halt all U.S. flights and divert roughly 500 aircraft, a response that spurred worldwide cockpit-door upgrades and the 2002 creation of the Department of Homeland Security. The heroism of Captain Smit Machchhar on Flight 1073 echoes the security reforms and individual bravery demanded after that attack.

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