President Sheikh Mohamed conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on the crew of flydubai flight 1073 and commended their bravery during the mid-air emergency on September 30, which ensured the safety of passengers.
Sheikh Mohamed received the crew at a council attended by senior members of the UAE's leadership, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
The honours were presented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, who commended the crew’s actions and sense of responsibility.
During the meeting, the leaders paid tribute to the crew for the high level of responsibility they showed in maintaining passenger safety and security. They stressed that preserving human safety and security is the UAE's highest priority and ultimate value.
Flydubai Flight 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv plunged 17,000 feet in less than a minute when the first officer attacked pilot Capt Smit Machchhar and seized control of the plane.
In an exclusive interview with The National, Capt Machchhar spoke of the moment his co-pilot repeatedly struck him with an axe before sending their Boeing 737 plunging towards the Arabian Desert.
According to the UAE prosecutors, a flydubai co-pilot tried to seize control of a passenger jet and crash it into Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport.
An investigation into the incident found that the aircraft's Omani co-pilot carried out a terrorist plot to cause mass casualties at the Israeli airport.
The suspect, aged 29, was inspired by the attacks on September 11, 2001, and had pursued a career in aviation specifically to carry out such an operation, according to his confession.
After Capt Machchhar managed to get the cabin door open, crew members and passengers restrained the suspect and rescued the injured captain.
During the event in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Sheikh Mohamed praised the crew for their swift and decisive actions that saved lives on board. The crew members thanked the President and expressed their pride in receiving the honour.
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President Sheikh Mohamed receives flydubai Capt Smit Machchhar also attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region. All photos: UAE Presidential Court -
Sheikh Mohamed speaks with Capt Machchhar -
Sheikh Mohamed, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Sheikh Saif bin Mohamed and Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed -
Sheikh Mohamed speaks with flydubai crew members, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive of flydubai, and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, president of the Department of Civil Aviation, chairman and chief executive of Emirates and chairman of Dubai World -
Sheikh Mohamed embraces Capt Machchhar -
Sheikh Mohamed speaks with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
The gathering was attended by other senior officials, including: Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; and Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, chairman of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman and chief executive of the Emirates Group, also attended, as did Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and a number of sheikhs, officials and guests.
