A Poland-bound Israeli youth delegation whose plane had had to make an emergency landing in Turkey on Monday has reached their country of destination, Israel’s Education Minister Yoav Kisch said on Tuesday.
The delegation of some 150 12th-grade pupils spent about 24 hours in Antalya, Turkey due to a possible engine malfunction. The first plane sent from Israel to take them to Poland also had a malfunction and couldn’t take off again from Turkey, leading to a further delay, Kisch wrote on X.
The pupils were transferred by buses to a “secure and separate” terminal and did not leave the airport, according to Ynet. Another plane was sent and the pupils landed in Poland safely.
The Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) provided security for the students in Turkey, Kisch noted, ensuring their safety throughout the ordeal.
The flight was operated by Enter Air, a Warsaw-based charter airline. The students, from five schools in central Israel, Jerusalem, and the Western Galilee, are participating in an organized visit to Poland as part of Israel’s traditional youth trips to Europe to learn about the Holocaust.
In the wake of the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, 2023, and rising concerns over antisemitism in Europe, these educational trips were halted in November. However, they were resumed last year following a review of security and logistical circumstances.
Israel’s relations with Turkey, once a favored tourist destination for Israelis, have in recent years deteriorated. On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan openly prayed for the destruction of the Jewish state. Since Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Erdogan has adopted an increasingly hostile stance toward Israel, and Turkey has continued to host Hamas officials.
