Pilots’ Body Seeks Bravery Award For Machchhar, Citing 182 Lives Saved During Flydubai Incident

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a national bravery award or another appropriate civilian honour for Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot seriously injured while responding to an attack aboard flydubai flight FZ1073. In its letter dated October 2, the pilots’ body described Machchhar’s actions during the September 30 incident as an act of “extraordinary courage, exceptional leadership and exemplary devotion to duty”. The FIP has asked the Prime Minister’s Office to consider the captain for national recognition after the relevant authorities verify the facts of the incident. Machchhar was the pilot-in-command of the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, which was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after an alleged confrontation inside the cockpit. The flight had 174 passengers and eight crew members, taking the total number of people aboard to 182.

According to the FIP, Machchhar was attacked by the first officer and sustained serious injuries during the confrontation. Despite being injured, the federation said he continued to perform his responsibilities as pilot-in-command and took actions that helped the aircraft reach an alternate airport safely. The pilots’ body said the situation presented an unusually serious challenge because the threat occurred inside the flight deck and involved the person responsible for operating the aircraft. The aircraft subsequently experienced a rapid descent of nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before being diverted to Tabuk. Two other flydubai pilots who were travelling as passengers later assisted with taking control of the aircraft. The FIP has asked that operational and medical records, along with other relevant evidence, be examined before any decision is taken on the appropriate form of recognition.

The federation said pilots are trained to respond to emergencies including technical failures, adverse weather, medical situations and other threats to flight safety. It argued that a physical attack against a pilot inside the cockpit creates a different set of circumstances because it can simultaneously affect both the crew and the aircraft's ability to remain under control. FIP president Captain C S Randhawa had earlier described Machchhar's actions as very brave while also calling for a detailed investigation into how the confrontation developed. Randhawa said the incident raised questions about cockpit resource management and how a physical altercation between two pilots could occur during a commercial flight. He stressed that the circumstances surrounding the confrontation needed to be established through an investigation rather than assumptions based only on preliminary reports.

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The incident began on September 30 when FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to accounts released after the incident, the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar, leaving the captain seriously injured. The aircraft then underwent a steep descent over northern Saudi Arabia before passengers and crew members became involved. Machchhar reportedly managed to open the cockpit door despite his injuries, allowing people outside the flight deck to intervene and restrain the alleged attacker. Two off-duty flydubai pilots travelling as passengers subsequently helped operate the aircraft before it landed safely at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk. The precise sequence of events and motive behind the cockpit confrontation remain under investigation.

Machchhar was initially taken to a hospital in Tabuk and was later shifted to Abu Dhabi for further medical treatment. Reports said he remained stable while recovering from his injuries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already publicly praised the captain's conduct during the incident. The Prime Minister's Office said on October 1 that Modi lauded Machchhar for his courage and resolve to protect the lives of others despite being seriously injured. Modi said the pilot's actions helped save lives and avert what could have been a major tragedy. On October 2, Modi also spoke directly with Machchhar while he was recovering in hospital and heard his account of the incident.

The FIP's request now puts national recognition for Machchhar before the government for consideration, subject to the applicable rules and verification of the circumstances surrounding the flight. The pilots’ body has specifically sought either a National Bravery Award or another suitable national civilian recognition, rather than identifying a particular existing award as mandatory. Its letter emphasised the responsibility carried by the pilot-in-command for the safety of passengers and crew and argued that Machchhar's conduct under extreme circumstances merited formal recognition. No decision on the request had been announced at the time of the FIP's letter. Meanwhile, the investigation into the cockpit attack continues, with authorities examining the events aboard FZ1073, the actions of those involved and the circumstances that led to the aircraft's rapid descent and eventual safe landing in Saudi Arabia.

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