Arkia brings passengers home after flydubai attack

Tel Aviv : An Arkia flight carrying Israelis from the United Arab Emirates landed at Ben Gurion Airport early Saturday, marking the first repatriation flight since services between Dubai and Tel Aviv were suspended following an attack on a flydubai aircraft.

The flight arrived from Dubai shortly after 1am local time, according to Israel's airport authority.

The repatriation came after an incident on a flydubai flight on Wednesday in which the Indian captain was attacked by his co-pilot. The captain managed to open the cockpit door, after which passengers and crew restrained the attacker and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

The UAE is investigating the incident and has not yet established a motive. Israeli and US officials have suggested possible links to Islamist extremism or Iran, but no official motive has been confirmed.

Flydubai subsequently suspended its Israel service, while El Al cancelled flights planned to bring Israelis back from the UAE.

The Arkia flight departed Dubai on Friday and was the first Israeli-operated flight to leave the Emirates since the disruption.