An emergency situation was declared at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Monday afternoon, with an incoming passenger airline carrying 152 travelers facing a difficult landing with impaired landing gear.
Ambulances streamed to Ben-Gurion International Airport on Monday afternoon (July 1) along with other first responders in response to the news that the aircraft was on the way without intact wheels.
The remains of tires from the Israeli Boeing 737-400 flight that departed from Cologne, Germany were found on the runway after the plane took off.
“The left tire is torn in the rear left wheel set, which makes the landing more convenient because it has another tire,” said the spokesperson for the Israel Airports Authority following an assessment carried out by fighter pilots scrambled by the Israel Air Force to make the assessment and accompany the aircraft.
All emergency personnel are now in position and ready to receive the aircraft, and all flights incoming to Israel were diverted to land at Ramon Airport in southern Israel, near Eilat.
“As part of preparations for the emergency landing at Ben-Gurion Airport, a pair of Sufa fighter planes were scrambled to the Israeli air space,” said the IDF Spokesperson. “The pilots examined the condition of the wheels and identified a rupture in the rear left wheel of the aircraft. In addition, IDF rescue helicopters were placed on alert, and IDF extraction and rescue teams were dispatched to the airport,” the IDF Spokesperson said.
The plane is expected to land shortly.