The first flight carrying Israelis returning home from the United Arab Emirates after Flydubai temporarily suspended its flights to Israel landed in Tel Aviv early Saturday, according to the website of the Israel Airports Authority.
اضافة اعلان
The arrival followed Wednesday’s incident aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which officials said narrowly avoided disaster.
The incident occurred after a Flydubai aircraft bound for Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following an alleged attempt by the co-pilot to bring down the aircraft. The plane was carrying 172 people, most of them Israelis.
On Thursday, the UAE judiciary confirmed that it had launched an investigation into the incident, with the Attorney General ordering authorities to “determine whether it was connected to any terrorist activity or purpose, or whether there had been prior planning or direction.”
The low-cost Israeli airline Arkia operated the flight, which arrived at Ben Gurion Airport from Dubai shortly after 1 a.m., according to the airport.
The Times of Israel reported Friday that Israeli media had announced the departure of the first flight to bring back Israeli passengers stranded in Dubai, adding that the flight was operated by Arkia.
Earlier, Israeli airline El Al announced the cancellation of flights scheduled for Friday to bring Israelis back from Dubai.
An airline spokesperson said no new date had been set for those flights.
Israel’s Transport Ministry said it was currently unable to operate special flights “due to the need to complete preparations and coordination” with security authorities in the UAE “to allow the flights to operate.”
Source: AFP
