An El Al jet flying from Warsaw to Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency landing in Antalya due to a medical incident involving a passenger. According to Channel 12 news in Israel, the decision to land urgently was made after consulting with a doctor on board who determined that the patient needed immediate medical attention.
Passengers on the El Al flight were not allowed to leave the plane while it was on the ground in Antalya. Additionally, airport authorities refused to refuel the aircraft. This incident occurred during a time of heightened tensions between Israel and Turkey, with Turkey being a vocal critic of Israel’s actions. In fact, Turkey had recently announced a suspension of all imports and exports with Israel until 2024.
Due to the refusal to refuel the plane, El Al considered diverting the flight to an airport in another country. Ultimately, the jet was redirected to Rhodes, Greece, where it landed without being refueled. Turkish Airlines, which had previously been the leading foreign airline in Israel, had suspended its operations in the country following the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas.