Families of Israelis aboard flydubai flight anxiously await relatives’ return

Families of Israelis aboard a Flydubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia this morning after a reported attack in the cockpit wait anxiously at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport for their loved ones to return home, as it remains unclear when and how the passengers will make it back to Israel.

Tehila Ohayon has been waiting at the airport since 9 a.m. for her sister, Miriam, 23, one of the Israelis aboard the flight.

Miriam was heading to Israel for their late brother’s memorial service.

“She said, ‘I can’t return dead,’” Ohayon says of Miriam.

Ohayon has yet to speak directly with Miriam, but her mother has. At first, Ohayon says the news left her and her family holding their breath. They only exhaled once they learned Miriam was safe after landing in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport.

Ohayon plans to stay at the airport in Tel Aviv until her sister is back in Israel.

Meanwhile, Elyakim Italie says his son, Almog, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren are also aboard the flight.

Almog Italie spoke to Channel 12 earlier.

Elyakim’s daughter and his one-year-old grandchild were also meant to be on the plane, but took a later flight at the last minute due to overbooking.

Italie says his other son called him three minutes before he reached the airport to meet his family with news that the plane had declared an emergency and turned around.

“I gave him the flight number, and he said, ‘It’s their flight.’ I still didn’t know if my daughter and young grandchild were on there.”

Italie’s daughter and grandchild, who were on the second plane, have since returned safely to Israel, and the three have been reunited. They are now anxiously waiting for the rest of the family to return.