Antalya - Airline raises serious accusations: Turkey allegedly refuses to help Israeli plane in distress
This article first appeared on ntv.de
Turkish officials reportedly refused to help an Israeli aircraft that had to make an emergency landing in Antalya. According to Israeli media and the Aerotelegraph website, there was a medical emergency on a flight operated by El Al. The Boeing 737-800, which was en route from Warsaw to Tel Aviv, made an unscheduled landing in Antalya as a result. Typically, airport staff assist in such situations by taking care of the stranded plane, evacuating passengers, and refueling the aircraft. However, in Antalya, this support was allegedly denied by the airline.
The plane had taken off from Warsaw when, according to the report, a passenger suddenly fell ill. A doctor traveling with the group treated the man in the cabin, urging an emergency landing. "After consulting with the doctor treating the passenger in the aircraft, it was decided that the plane should land urgently to get the passenger to a hospital as quickly as possible," El Al stated in a press release. Given that the nearest airport is usually the one that is approached in such cases, the plane landed in Antalya around 3 p.m.
Upon arrival at the Turkish airport, the sick passenger was evacuated. Normally, the crew and other passengers would then be allowed off the plane to allow it to be refueled. However, Turkish sources, as reported by the "Times of Israel," delayed this decision with the explanation that a permit was required for refueling. After approximately three hours in Antalya, the crew was reportedly informed that they would neither receive permission for evacuation nor refueling.
El Al issued an official statement confirming the landing in Antalya and the evacuation of the sick passenger. However, Turkish sources described a different scenario regarding the requested refueling. They claimed that the fuel "should be provided for humanitarian reasons," but the captain unexpectedly decided to leave the airport without refueling. A permit for refueling was allegedly presented by the Turkish side. The reason why this was not implemented in practice remains unclear.
Since October 7 of last year, all direct flights between Israel and Turkey have been suspended. The background is the massacre committed by Hamas in Israel and the military clashes in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
For the passengers of flight LY5102, the emergency landing meant a significant delay. After the nearly one-hour stopover on Rhodos, the plane was finally able to resume its flight to Tel Aviv.
- The headlines on the World section of the Times of Israel soon featured this unexpected development in the Emergency situation.
- Despite the Boeing 737 requiring refueling to continue its journey to Tel Aviv, Turkish officials reportedly refused to grant the necessary permission.
- This unfortunate turn of events occurred during times of tension between Israel and Turkey, with direct flights between the two countries suspended since October 2020.
- The stranded Boeing, operated by El Al, had to endure an additional flight leg to Rhodes before finally reaching Tel Aviv, causing disruptions to the passengers' travel plans.
- The Warsaw-Tel Aviv route, one of the most frequently traveled, was significantly impacted by this incident involving the El Al Boeing 737.
- The Times of Israel reported that the delay in Antalya was caused mainly by a permitting issue for the Boeing 737's refueling, leading to an evacuation emergency situation.
- Amidst top news about the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict and other global events, this standoff between Israel and Turkey gained traction, with the Boeing 737 becoming a symbol of the complex dynamics between the two nations.
- In the aftermath of the incident, the Boeing 737 resumed its journey, carrying with it the reminder of the diplomatic challenges ordinary flights can sometimes unexpectedly face.
