The identity of Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, who fought off a terrorist co-pilot inside the cockpit of a Flydubai passenger jet and suffered severe head injuries, became known almost immediately. So did the heroism of the Israeli passengers who helped thwart the suicide attack planned by Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami.
But the identities of the two pilots who took control of the damaged aircraft and landed it safely in Saudi Arabia remained largely unknown. Until now.
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Henson Steven and Rowan Tooth, the two pilots who landed the damaged Flydubai aircraft in Saudi Arabia
A month after the attempted attack on the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, the two pilots have been identified as Henson Steven of Fiji and Rowan Tooth of South Africa. Both had been traveling aboard the Boeing 737 to operate its return flight. Their identities emerged following a ceremony Tuesday at which the two men and Machchhar received prestigious civilian honors from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The two pilots had initially been reported to be from New Zealand and South Africa. Their identities became clearer following the ceremony, which recognized the extraordinary actions that saved the passengers aboard the aircraft.
UAE honors three pilots for extraordinary bravery
The three pilots received the First Class Order of Zayed II, one of the United Arab Emirates' highest civilian decorations, traditionally awarded to diplomats and senior officials.
The medals were presented by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, during a ceremony honoring the crew's courage in preventing a potentially catastrophic attack.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, praised the pilots in a post on X.
The decoration awarded to Fijian pilot Henson Steven
(Photo: X)
"Granting the Order of Zayed II to the Flydubai crew is a national recognition of the courage, heroism and composure they demonstrated while working to protect passengers' lives," he wrote. "This supreme act of heroism once again underscores that protecting human life is the highest duty and the greatest contribution."
Steven previously worked as a pilot for Fiji Airways, while Tooth, whose identity was reported by South African media, formerly worked for the South African airline Airlink before joining Flydubai in 2023.
Tooth is the son of Barry Tooth, a former South African cricketer who died last year.
Rowan Tooth and his UAE decoration
The two pilots took control of the aircraft after it sustained serious damage, including damage to part of its tail, and successfully landed it at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. Their intervention came after an extraordinary struggle in the cockpit that nearly ended in disaster.
How the pilots saved the aircraft
On September 30, Flydubai Flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when co-pilot al-Hammami attacked Machchhar with an emergency axe kept inside the cockpit.
Despite being repeatedly struck in the head, suffering severe bleeding and struggling with blurred vision, the Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door. That crucial action allowed passengers and crew members to intervene.
Israeli passengers overpowered the attacker and restrained him using headphone cables, while Steven and Tooth, who were traveling aboard the flight as additional pilots, entered the cockpit and took control of the aircraft.
They stabilized the damaged Boeing 737 and diverted it to Tabuk, where it landed safely.
The attack had left Machchhar seriously wounded, while the plane had undergone a dramatic loss of altitude during the struggle. The combined actions of the injured captain, the Israeli passengers and the two additional pilots prevented the attempted attack from ending in a mass-casualty disaster.
Scars of the attack visible at the ceremony
Machchhar attended Tuesday's ceremony in uniform, just one month after surviving repeated axe blows to his head.
Indian pilot Smit Machchhar receives his decoration, with scars from the cockpit attack still visible
(Video: DeshGujarat / X)
His left arm remained in a sling, while fresh scars across his scalp offered a stark reminder of the severity of the injuries he sustained while fighting the attacker.
One moment from the ceremony quickly went viral. President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed examined the injuries on Machchhar's head and asked when he expected to recover.
When the captain replied that he would need approximately two more months, the president jokingly suggested they meet after his recovery for a training session in which he would teach the pilot how to fight.
Machchhar laughed and replied that it would be the greatest honor.