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May. 5, 2007 23:52 | Updated May. 6, 2007 9:55
Israeli unintentionally visits Teheran
By JPOST.COM STAFF
An Israeli tourist had to endure several gut-wrenching hours in
Iran, after a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to India had to perform two
emergency landings in Teheran, it was released for publication on Saturday
night.
On Friday night, the plane - carrying 125 passengers on their way
from Turkey to Mumbai, India - landed in the Iranian capital due to an electric
fault and on Saturday, the plane was again forced to land in Teheran due to a
hydraulics failure. The passengers, most of whom were Indian, were not allowed
to leave the terminal because they did not have Iranian visas.
The foreign ministry in Jerusalem said the Iranian authorities were
not aware an Israeli citizen was one of the passengers on the grounded flight.
However, the Israeli tourist himself decided to reveal his
nationality to the flight's captain and crew.
At the terminal, the Iranian security guards calmed the tourist's
nerves somewhat when they told him: "We know you're Israeli, but you don't have
to worry," Israel Radio reported.
According to the tourist, whose name is Benny, the guards were
friendly, and he was given a carved wooden box as a parting gift.
"They asked me what I thought of Iran," he said. "I said it seems
like a great country, but all I've seen of it was [the area] from the plane to
the terminal."
When he got back on the plane the second time, he said, one of the
Iranians said, "I hope to see you again in Iran." Benny, in turn, invited him
to visit Jerusalem.
Turkish Airlines sent a replacement airplane to Teheran, and the
125 passengers eventually took off for Mumbai, with the Israeli tourist safely
on board the plane.
He was met in Mumbai by representatives of the Israeli consulate.
Like many tourists, the single Israeli passenger on the flight used
the services of Turkish Airlines because of its cheap flights.
El Al flights to India do not enter the airspace of hostile
countries. Their flights are consequently longer and more expensive.
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