Now Reading: Pilot Smit Machhar to get Israel’s top civilian honour
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Pilot Smit Machhar to get Israel’s top civilian honour
India-born pilot Captain Smit Machhar, who foiled a hijack attempt on a flydubai flight carrying 174 passengers on 30 September, will receive Israel's Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism. Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced the honour on Thursday, 8 October, saying it would be conferred after Machhar recovers from injuries sustained in the attack.
The Omani co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami allegedly attacked Machhar with an axe in the cockpit, intending to crash the plane into a building in Tel Aviv. Machhar, despite being seriously injured, opened the cockpit door, allowing six Israeli passengers to subdue the attacker. Off-duty pilots then landed the aircraft safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The incident is being investigated as an attempted terror attack, Aaj Tak reports.
Machhar is receiving treatment at a hospital in Abu Dhabi. Separately, US Congressman Josh Gottheimer introduced a resolution on 5 October to honour Machhar in the US Congress.
Indian Opinion Analysis
TV9 Hindi's account leads with the award itself and Israel's intelligence assessment that the plane was to be crashed into a building in Tel Aviv, framing the episode as a thwarted major attack. Aaj Tak focuses on the in-flight drama, detailing the rapid descent and the passengers' role, and adds that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Machhar a hero, presenting the incident as a symbol of strong India-Israel ties. Both outlets report the same core facts and neither criticises any government. The coverage is largely uniform straight reporting, with TV9 adding the US Congressional resolution and Aaj Tak emphasising the six Israeli citizens who helped subdue the attacker. The concrete next step remains the award ceremony, which awaits Machhar's recovery.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): tv9hindi.com (neutral report), aajtak.in (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
