Indian pilot Smit Machchhar to receive Israel’s top civilian award for ‘sheer bravery’: What does it recognize?
Indian pilot Smit Machchhar will receive Israel’s Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism for helping avert a catastrophe after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him aboard a Flydubai flight. Despite his injuries, reports say Machchhar helped the crew overpower the attacker.
Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, who was reportedly stabbed by his co-pilot during a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, is set to receive Israel's highest civilian award for bravery. Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised Machchhar's "sheer bravery and sound professionalism," stating that his actions helped prevent a catastrophe. Herzog announced the honor on Thursday while recognizing other Israeli passengers who helped subdue the attacker and assist the crew during the mid-air emergency.
Machchhar, currently recovering in a hospital in the United Arab Emirates, will receive the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism once he has regained his strength. The award, established following the 7 October 2023 attacks, recognizes civilians who demonstrate exceptional bravery. Israel's Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism is the country's highest civilian honor, awarded to individuals who display extraordinary courage, excluding active-duty military personnel, police officers, and security personnel.
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