The long line of stitches at the back of flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar’s head has become a talking point after the Indian pilot was honoured by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for his courage during a mid-air attack aboard flight FZ1073.

Images from the award ceremony offered a closer look at the injuries he sustained when his co-pilot allegedly attacked him inside the cockpit on September 30.

Machchhar, who was seen with his left arm in a sling, received the honour while still recovering from the serious injuries. His head wound, visible in photographs and videos of his interaction with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, underscored the severity of the assault he survived.

The pilot, 38, suffered a depressed skull fracture after being struck with a crash axe. The injury required emergency treatment in Saudi Arabia, where doctors performed surgery to repair the damage to his skull. He was subsequently transferred to Abu Dhabi for further treatment.

Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar has received one of the UAE’s prestigious honors after helping stop a terrorist attack aboard a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv last month. During the incident, Machchhar was struck in the back of the head with an emergency axe by his own co-pilot. Despite his injuries, he fought to protect himself and struggled to open the cockpit door so others could intervene and stop the attack.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan awarded Machchhar and the rest of Flight 1073’s crew the First Class Order of Zayed II for their bravery in protecting passengers.

The medals were presented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, with visible scars still marking the back of Machchhar’s head during the ceremony.

October 29, 2026 How Captain Smit Machchhar helped avert a tragedy Machchhar was the captain of fydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The flight was carrying more than 170 people when the co-pilot allegedly attacked him inside the cockpit.

Must Read‘When will you heal?’: UAE President offers combat training to flydubai pilot Smit Machchar Despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, enabling other crew members and passengers to intervene and overpower the attacker. The aircraft lost altitude sharply during the incident before another pilot on board helped the crew regain control. It subsequently made a safe emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The motive behind the attack was not immediately clear in the initial reports.

UAE honours Captain Smit Machchhar The UAE honoured Machchhar and fellow Flydubai crew members with the First Class Order of Zayed II, recognising their courage and efforts to protect passengers during the September 30 incident.

The honour was conferred by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with the awards presented by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at a presidential reception. The UAE leadership praised the crew’s professionalism, courage and sense of responsibility.

A video of the interaction between Machchhar and the UAE President also attracted attention online. During their conversation, the President asked when the pilot would recover.