The key facts
- The crew of flydubai Flight 1073 received the First Class Order of Zayed II on 27 October in Abu Dhabi
- On 30 September the first officer attacked the captain, and the aircraft lost 17,000 feet of altitude in less than a minute
- According to the UAE Public Prosecution, the 29-year-old first officer planned to fly the aircraft into Ben Gurion airport
Award ceremony in Abu Dhabi
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed awarded the crew of flydubai Flight 1073 the First Class Order of Zayed II in Abu Dhabi on 27 October and thanked the pilots for their actions during the in-flight emergency on 30 September, which ensured the safety of the passengers. The awards were presented by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, who, according to The National, praised the crew's actions and their sense of responsibility. The meeting was also attended by Vice President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid and a number of other senior officials, including Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed and flydubai chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith.
What happened on 30 September
Flight 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv lost 17,000 feet of altitude in less than a minute when the first officer attacked the captain, Smit Machchhar, and seized control of the Boeing 737. In an interview with The National, the captain said the first officer repeatedly struck him with an axe, after which he steered the aircraft towards the Arabian Desert. According to the UAE Public Prosecution, the first officer — a 29-year-old Omani citizen — attempted to hijack the plane and fly it into Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. The investigation established that he had committed a terrorist plotdesigned to cause mass casualties at the Israeli airport; according to his confession, he was inspired by the attacks of 11 September 2001 and had deliberately built a career in aviation for the sake of such an operation.
How the disaster was prevented
After Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, crew members and passengers restrained the attacker and saved the wounded captain. At the ceremony in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed highlighted the crew's swift and decisive actions, which saved the lives of those on board; the crew members thanked the President and expressed pride in the award. The leaders stressed that protecting people's safety is the UAE's highest priority.
