Israeli President Isaac Herzog sent a letter to Capt. Smit Machchhar expressing “deep gratitude” for his role in averting a catastrophe after he was severely wounded in a terrorist attack aboard a flydubai flight on Sept. 30, the President’s Office in Jerusalem said on Saturday night.
“Your ability to find the strength to rise above the pain, to combat the immediate threat to your life, and to operate sound judgment demonstrates the strength of your character and the great valor you possess,” Herzog wrote.
Machchhar received the letter while recovering in the hospital.
Capt. Machchhar was piloting flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv when his co-pilot attacked him with an ax and attempted to crash the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The aircraft was carrying 182 people, including 174 passengers, most of them Israeli.
Despite suffering severe injuries, Machchhar managed to open the locked cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and overpower his attacker. Passengers then brought the plane under control, and two off-duty pilots traveling aboard the aircraft landed it safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
On Oct. 2, Machchhar recounted the dramatic moments during a video call from his hospital bed in the United Arab Emirates with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I had so many injuries, but I told myself that I had to get up and act,” he said. “At that moment, I pushed myself to open the cockpit door. I fought for my life. I understood that if I did not show courage, 170 passengers would lose their lives.”
In his letter, Herzog highlighted the historic ties between India and Israel, recalling the Indian troops who fought in the Holy Land more than a century ago.
“Your heroics place you in the distinguished ranks of Indian troops, who risked their lives over 100 years ago to liberate cities in the Holy Land, forever becoming a part of Israel’s history,” the president wrote. “You too, Captain Machchhar, will henceforth be a treasured part of our people’s history, further amplifying the warmth and connection between the Republic of India and the State of Israel.”
Herzog continued, “As you slowly begin your journey toward healing, I know that you are in the very best hands of our dear friends and partners in the United Arab Emirates. We all share heartfelt prayers for your full and speedy recovery, and I look forward, once you have regained strength, to welcoming you to Jerusalem and expressing the appreciation and the love of our grateful nation.”
During a ceremony on Oct. 8 honoring six Israeli passengers for their heroism aboard the flight, Herzog announced that he would present Machchhar with the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.
