# Flydubai Pilot Awarded Order of Zayed After Axe Attack in Cockpit > Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar received the UAE First Class Order of Zayed II after fighting off a co-pilot who struck him with an axe on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight on Sept 30. - Publisher: Briefzora (https://briefzora.com) - URL: https://briefzora.com/flydubai-pilot-awarded-order-of-zayed-after-axe-attack-in-cockpit - Published: 2026-10-29T18:43:41+05:00 - Author: Briefzora Desk (https://briefzora.com/author/briefzora-desk) - Section: Technology - Topics: Crime, Plane crashes and air disasters - Image: https://briefzora.com/uploads/2026/10/hero-captain-hacked-with-axe-by-hijacker-pilot-on-flydubai-plane-rev-b6awus.webp ## Key points - Captain Smit Machchhar received the UAE First Class Order of Zayed II on Wednesday. - Machchhar was attacked with a crash axe by co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight on Sept 30. - The plane dropped 14,000 ft in under 30 seconds before crew regained control. - Al-Hammami, 29, confessed to UAE prosecutors and is alleged to have been inspired by 9/11. - Israeli officials said the suspect had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination. ## Why it matters The incident highlights security risks on commercial flights and shows how crew actions prevented a potential disaster, affecting passengers, airlines and aviation authorities. ## Article Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar was presented with the United Arab Emirates' First Class Order of Zayed II on Wednesday after he repelled an axe-wielding co-pilot during a Sept 30 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Standing with other crew members, Machchhar displayed thick surgical scars across the back of his shaved head and a left arm in a cast that hung in a sling over his chest. The award ceremony was led by UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who praised the captain's bravery in stopping the suspected terror plot. According to reports, co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, 29, allegedly struck Machchhar with a crash axe after telling the captain he wanted to pray, a request the captain described as "not out of the ordinary". Machchhar said he looked away "out of respect" and was hit on the back of his head, causing him to fear catastrophic damage to the aircraft. He added that the blows continued, making him realise the threat was the other person in the cockpit. He recalled lying on the cockpit floor as the plane dropped 14,000 ft in less than 30 seconds. Despite severe pain and blurred vision, Machchhar managed to subdue the co-pilot and pry open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to regain control. During the award ceremony, President Al Nahyan inspected the captain's wounds and joked about teaching him to fight once he recovered. Machchhar responded, "It's my biggest honour." Other crew members also received bravery medals for their role in averting disaster. Al-Hammami, an Omani national, has submitted a detailed confession to UAE prosecutors. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said the suspect appeared to have undergone "Islamist radical indoctrination". The co-pilot had previously taken a remote aviation course at Buckinghamshire Open University in the UK and studied in Australia. UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi noted signs of extremist drift emerged during al-Hammami's time in Melbourne in 2017. Prosecutors said al-Hammami was inspired by the 9/11 attacks and intended to use the aircraft for a similar operation. Israeli sources claim he planned to crash into Ben-Gurion Airport, according to The Jerusalem Post. A Gulf diplomat said investigators are determining whether al-Hammami acted alone or had links to extremist groups. ## Frequently asked questions ### What happened to the flydubai captain on the Dubai to Tel Aviv flight? Captain Smit Machchhar was attacked with an axe by his co-pilot, suffered head injuries and a broken arm, but managed to subdue the attacker and help regain control of the aircraft. ### Who awarded the Order of Zayed to the pilot? UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan presented the First Class Order of Zayed II to Captain Machchhar. ### What was the alleged motive of the co-pilot? Prosecutors say Hamam al-Hammami was inspired by the 9/11 attacks and intended to use the plane for a similar extremist operation. --- When citing, please link to https://briefzora.com/flydubai-pilot-awarded-order-of-zayed-after-axe-attack-in-cockpit and name Briefzora as the source.