UAE president says ‘I want to train you how to fight’ to Smit Machchhar, inspects his stitches | Trending

An interaction between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Captain Smit Machchhar during a recent award ceremony has gone viral. In the clip, the president tells the pilot he will teach him how to fight once he recovers. In another video that has surfaced online, the UAE leader is seen warmly embracing the serviceman and inspecting his stitches.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Captain Smit Machchhar. (Instagram/@emiratesroyalfamily, @hhahmedbinsaeed)“This is what happened between His Highness the President of the State and the crew of the "Fly Dubai" plane,” read the caption of a video posted on the official Instagram page of the UAE Royal Family.

It opens to show Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum interacting with flydubai crew members, including Smit Machchhar, who were conferred with the First Class Order of Zayed II for their bravery during the in-flight attack aboard FZ1073.

As the video progresses, the president praises the crew. Then he asks Machchhar, “When will you heal?” The pilot replies, “In two months.” The president responds, “I have an idea. When you heal, I want to have a session with you to train you how to fight.” As the pilot breaks into a smile, he says, “It’s my biggest honour.”

In another video, which shows snippets from the October 28 ceremony, the president hugs Machchhar. He then holds his head to closely inspect the stitches on his head.

Captain Smit Machchhar was seriously injured during a mid-air incident on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.

Aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, the Indian-origin pilot was attacked by his co-pilot with a crash axe. The co-pilot, identified as an Omani national by the Israeli officials, stabbed Machchhar, causing the plane to plunge nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.

Despite being seriously injured, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, making it possible for the crew members and passengers to overpower the co-pilot.

While the co-pilot was taken into custody, Machchhar was initially treated at a hospital in Tabuk. At the time, images of an injured Machchhar being taken out of the aircraft on a stretcher flooded social media.

The pilot was later transferred to Abu Dhabi for further treatment and recovery. While he was recovering at the hospital, Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also visited him and shared the pictures of their meeting on social media.

During the recent ceremony, the UAE president, along with other leaders in attendance, praised the courage and professionalism of the crew members.

Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More