UAE President jokes he will teach flydubai captain Smit Machchhar to fight once he heals

Summary

At a ceremony honouring the flydubai crew, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan joked that he wanted to teach Captain Smit Machchhar how to fight once he had healed, according to Hindustan Times. The honour was for the crew's courageous actions in mid-air. Hindustan Times reports that the crew were recognised for protecting passengers during a September 30 attack, and NDTV reports that Machchhar received the First Class Order of Zayed II. The Hindu reports that the medals were presented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and describes the act as bravery during a mid-air attack. A later Hindustan Times report published the first images of Machchhar's injury, which show stitches on his head. None of the articles gives further details of the incident itself.

Timeline

1. Hindustan Times

   29 Oct 2026, 07:39 UTCSource ↗

   Hindustan Times reports that during a ceremony honouring the flydubai crew, the UAE President joked that he wanted to teach captain Smit Machchhar how to fight once he had healed.