Activists from the Noam movement gathered at Ben Gurion Airport's arrivals area Wednesday evening to welcome survivors of a flight that experienced an incident earlier in the day, according to The Zioneer. The activists were present as passengers arrived.
Activists from the Noam movement gathered at Ben Gurion Airport's arrivals hall Wednesday evening to greet the survivors of the Flydubai hijacking attempt as they landed on a rescue flight. The group, known for its religious-Zionist and socially conservative platform, was seen waiting as passengers arrived, according to The Zioneer.
The welcome came hours after the day's dramatic events. Earlier Wednesday, Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was hijacked by its Omani co-pilot, who stabbed the captain and seized the controls, dropping the plane nearly 20,000 feet before passengers and crew forced their way into the cockpit and subdued him. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia. As The Zioneer reported throughout the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the incident was an attempted terror attack, stating the pilot apparently tried to crash the plane. Defense Minister Israel Katz officially declared it a terror attack. The captain was seriously wounded; the Omani suspect is being investigated by Saudi authorities.
A rescue flight carrying all passengers and crew was approved by the Mossad and Shin Bet and landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport just after 20:30 Jerusalem time. Noam activists were among those waiting to receive the survivors.
The assailant's specific motive and affiliation remain under investigation.
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