Two Kenyan cabin crew members, David Kimotho and John Muchina were awarded the First Class Order of Zayed II by United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in recognition of their action during a mid-air emergency aboard a Flydubai passenger plane on September 30.
The awards were presented by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on October 27.
“To recognize the outstanding courage, bravery and determination of Flydubai staff and crew members on 30th September, 2026,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
The incident occurred when the flight’s co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with an axe, leaving him seriously injured and triggering a struggle to secure the cockpit and protect the passengers.
The flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 Max, departed Dubai for Tel Aviv with 174 people on board; the vast majority of them were Israelis.
Midway through the flight, the aircraft dropped sharply after the Omani co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly launched a violent attack on the Indian captain Machchhar.
Kimotho and Muchina helped attend to the injured captain and maintain order in the cabin as the crew and passengers responded to the emergency.
Captain Machchhar, assisted by cabin crew members, passengers and off-duty pilots aboard the aircraft, fought back against the attacker, eventually enabling them to secure him.
The incident attracted international attention, with Machchhar also receiving praise from leaders and officials in India, Israel and the United States.
The recognition of Kimotho and Muchina is a powerful testament to the professionalism, resilience and a national pride for Kenya.
