1st rescue flights bring stranded Israelis home from Dubai

JERUSALEM -- The first five rescue flights carrying Israelis stranded in Dubai landed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Saturday morning as part of an operation to bring them home, according to the Israel Airports Authority.

Thousands of Israelis were stranded in Dubai after Flydubai, the only airline operating the route to Tel Aviv, suspended its flights following the incident aboard its plane on Wednesday, in which the co-pilot allegedly stabbed and wounded the captain.

The rescue operation had been thrown into doubt after Emirati authorities banned passenger aircraft from carrying checked baggage, prompting the cancellation of rescue flights scheduled for Friday.

According to media reports, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later instructed his ministry to send cargo aircraft to Dubai to transport the stranded passengers' luggage back to Israel, paving the way for the rescue flights to operate.

The five passenger flights that landed Saturday were operated by Israeli airlines Israir and Arkia.

Israel's national carrier El Al, which does not operate flights on Saturdays in observance of the Jewish Shabbat, is also expected to begin operating rescue flights from Dubai on Sunday.