Rescue flight brings 180 passengers to Israel after hijacking attempt over Saudi Arabia
Some 180 passengers, almost all of them Israeli citizens, arrived back at Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel, after one of the pilots attempted to hijack their plane earlier today. There were reportedly around 30 children on board.
The passengers thwarted the attempt and a second flight crew on board managed to execute an emergency landing in the Saudi town of Tabuk. Footage from the flight showed passengers singing and cheering when the plane touched down in Israel.
The flydubai rescue flight lasted for around 45 minutes in a highly rare, direct flight between the Saudi kingdom and Israel, which do not have full diplomatic relations.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service announced it has teams on standby at Ben Gurion to treat passengers that require medical attention.
