A private jet burst into flames on the tarmac at Ben Gurion Airport Wednesday, forcing its passengers to flee the aircraft.
All six escaped the disaster unharmed, Channel 2 reported. Airport authorities issued a Level 3 state of emergency, the highest possible as firefighters extinguished the flames.
The jet, an Israeli-owned British Aerospace 125 with the registration 4X-CZO, was bound for Moscow. Aboard were four pilots and two doctors who were going to bring patients to Israel, Ynet reported.
A video of the incident posted online showed emergency crews rushing to the plane, whose rear starboard landing gear was ablaze. Passengers can be seen fleeing the burning plane onto the tarmac.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnAX_wwZ74I
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“The plane caught fire when we were about to take off,” one of the plane’s crew told Channel 2. “We were about to take off when the wheels caught fire, we called firefighters and exited of the plane running.”
“I praise the pilot’s performance, flight controllers and especially the work of the airport firefighters at Ben Gurion Airport,” the airport’s administrator, Shmuel Zakai. said. “Their quick response resulted in control over the blaze and prevented danger to the passengers and aircraft.”
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