Flydubai Airlines announced that all flights to and from Israel are suspended indefinitely, with the pause continuing until the investigation into Wednesday's attempted hijacking is concluded. The confirmation extends an earlier six-day suspension ordered by Israeli transportation officials.
Flydubai Airlines officially confirmed at 23:16 Jerusalem time that all flights to and from Israel are suspended until the investigation into Wednesday's attempted hijacking is complete. The carrier's statement extends an earlier six-day suspension ordered by Israeli transportation officials, which had been set to begin Thursday morning.
Wednesday's incident unfolded on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a reported hijacking attempt. Asaf Regev, who was involved in the event, said the terrorist was restrained for 55 minutes before British pilots regained control and landed the aircraft. Transportation Minister Miri Regev subsequently ordered a halt to Flydubai operations, citing the pilot's Omani background as a violation of the airline's operating agreement requiring crews from countries with diplomatic ties to Israel. The six-day suspension, effective Thursday, was coordinated between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the UAE ruler, who allocated landing slots for Israeli rescue flights. Israeli carriers are operating rescue flights with enhanced security in place of the suspended service. A previous report indicated Flydubai had suspended flights 'as long as the investigation continues,' a measure now officially confirmed.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, the Mossad and Shin Bet have opened a joint inquiry into the incident. Saudi and Jordanian fighter jets were scrambled alongside the Israel Air Force during the emergency. The airline's operating agreement requires that all pilots be from countries with normalized relations with Israel, which excludes Oman.
The duration of the investigation remains unclear, and the identity and affiliation of the perpetrator have not been officially disclosed. The precise circumstances of the hijacking attempt are still under investigation.
7 developments
- StrongFlydubai officially halts all flights to Tel Aviv until further notice
- StrongEmirates clarifies: Tel Aviv-bound passengers can land in Dubai after rescue flights approved
- StrongFlydubai: Circumstances of Tel Aviv-bound flight incident still under investigation
- DevelopingNo US airline set to return to Israel before September, N12 reports
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