TEL AVIV: The first flight taking Israelis home from the United Arab Emirates after services were interrupted due to the flydubai incident arrived in Tel Aviv early Saturday, according to Israel’s airport authority website. The arrival, described by Israeli media as a repatriation flight, after Wednesday’s incident on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route, which officials said nearly missed disaster.
During the flydubai incident, the jet’s Indian captain was assaulted by his co-pilot, but he was able to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the attacker and make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates are investigating the attack and have yet to discover the perpetrator’s motivation, however Israeli and US politicians have suspected linkages to Islamist extremism or Iran. According to the airport’s online arrivals list, Israeli carrier Arkia’s repatriation flight from Dubai arrived at Ben Gurion Airport shortly after 1:00 a.m. local time (2200 GMT Friday).
The Arkia flight took off from Dubai on Friday, becoming the first Israeli-operated flight to leave the Emirates since flydubai discontinued its Israel service and El Al cancelled scheduled flights designed to transport Israelis home.
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