Heroic Flydubai captain ‘who was attacked with axe’ invited to Israel for Independence Day
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu extends honour to Smit Machchhar who defied injuries to help save 180 passengers and crew on Flight 1073 from disaster
Assessment
A Flydubai captain who kept his wits after an axe attack is being honored by Israel's prime minister. The invitation for Independence Day signals that Israel sees his actions as extraordinary. The story raises questions about what happened on that flight and how the crew managed to avert disaster.