Israeli El Al aircraft enters Athens FIR, escorted to Israeli airspace
An El Al civilian aircraft that took off from New York for Tel Aviv was escorted back to Israeli airspace on Good Friday, April 30, after entering the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR). As the aircraft entered the Athens FIR, the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre in Torrejon, Spain alerted the Hellenic Air Force to escort it back to Israeli air space.
A pair of HAF F-16s initially took off from the 111 Battle Wing in Araxos and approached the Israeli plane. Then a second pair of F-16s took off from the 115 Battle Wing in Kasteli and escorted the Israeli aircraft back to Israeli air space.
The El Al plane landed at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv at 10:00 on Friday.
