An Israeli soldier just lately spent roughly 10 hours in Iran after a flight diverted there, and thankfully she managed to fly beneath the radar.
FlyDubai flight diverts to Shiraz, Iran
On Thursday, October 27, 2022, FlyDubai flight FZ1942 was scheduled to function from Tashkent, Uzbekistan (TAS), to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB). The 1,369-mile flight was scheduled to depart at 4:05AM and arrive at 6:50AM, with a block time of 3hr45min. The flight was operated by a roughly 5 yr previous Boeing 737-800 with the license plate A6-FED.
Whereas the flight departed as scheduled, a passenger onboard had a medical emergency, resulting in a diversion. The flight ended up touchdown in Shiraz, Iran (SYZ), roughly three hours after departing Tashkent. Shiraz is just 341 miles from Dubai.
Sadly that diversion didn’t go so easily, because the aircraft ended up being on the bottom in Shiraz for over 10 hours. It’s not totally clear why the aircraft spent so lengthy on the bottom in Shiraz. The one concept I can give you is that the crew timed out, and {that a} substitute crew needed to be flown in. FlyDubai crews work some fairly tough shifts, and I think about they have been working an in a single day flip to Tashkent.
The flight lastly arrived in Dubai round 5:45PM, practically 11 hours not on time. Ouch.
An Israeli soldier was onboard this flight
As such, a 10-hour diversion to Iran might be solely a mildly attention-grabbing story, however there’s one other angle to this. As reported by The Instances of Israel, a 19-year-old member of the Israel Protection Forces (IDF) was on this flight. Israel is a sworn enemy of Iran, and the international locations have been engaged in a years-long shadow struggle, with tensions having escalated even additional earlier this yr.
The Russian-speaking soldier had been visiting household in Uzbekistan, and was touring again residence through Dubai (we just lately noticed relations enhance between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, resulting in substantial air service between the international locations). Whereas on the bottom, the soldier contacted her dad and mom, who notified her commanders. This info was handed on to senior protection officers, and Prime Minister Yair Lapid was even notified.
Israel’s nationwide intelligence company made contact with the soldier, advising her to hide her Israeli identification, and never communicate Hebrew. It’s believed that the soldier had each an Israeli and Russian passport, and that she introduced her Russian passport in Iran.
Iran was unaware that there was an Israeli soldier in its territory, although some sources counsel officers did understand this after the aircraft took off once more. Happily the aircraft took off with out incident, and the soldier made it again residence safely.
These particulars are solely now being launched, roughly one week after the incident. One has to marvel what would have occurred if officers did understand she belonged to the IDF.
Backside line
A FlyDubai flight from Tashkent to Dubai diverted to Shiraz after a passenger had a medical emergency. The aircraft ended up spending 10 hours on the bottom there, earlier than persevering with to Dubai.
Essentially the most attention-grabbing facet of this story is that there was an Israeli soldier on the flight, and Israel and Iran are enemies. Happily she managed to evade detection by utilizing a overseas passport, although I’ve to think about this might have additionally ended in another way.
What do you make of this FlyDubai diversion to Iran?
(Tip of the hat to Alon)
