Current Affairs - Awards and Honours - Discussion

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) honoured Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar with the First Class Order of Zayed II on October 27, 2026, in recognition of his extraordinary courage during a cockpit emergency aboard flydubai flight FZ1073. Despite being seriously injured in an attack by his co-pilot on September 30, 2026, Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door and helped prevent a major disaster with the assistance of the crew and passengers. The flight made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The honour was presented on behalf of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.