Israel Matzav

Only in Israel: Plane turns back to get cancer patient

I don't believe this could have happened anywhere other than the Jewish state.

An 11-year old fighting cancer was traveling to New York for a summer camp run by Chai Lifeline, a group that has been encouraging cancer patients to fight for their lives for the last 20 years. The girl's passport was misplaced and she had to get off the plane. Then, the passport was found.

The plane almost reached the runway when the call went out that Inbar’s passport had been found in another child’s backpack. The flight attendants immediately told the pilots, who spent the next 15 minutes calling the control tower, ground crew, and El Al’s offices.

The plane sat for a half hour, as the pilots awaited a decision.

Finally, they turned the plane around, and drove back to the terminal to pick up young Inbar.

“Her dream came true!” wrote Pinsky. ”Those of us on the plane experienced something as well. Instead of the hostility that usually greets a plane delay, there were cheers and tears on that El Al plane, flight 007. Passengers and crew shared Inbar’s happiness and excitement.”

“Planes rarely return to the gate after departing,” said El Al in a statement. “The plane was on its way to the runway, when the passport was found on the plane. After consulting with El Al crew on the plane and El Al staff at the airport the decision was made and the plane returned to pick up Inbar. El Al was honored and proud to help Inbar’s dream to go to the camp in the USA come true. We wish Inbar full recovery and health.”

Refuah Shleima - a full and speedy recovery - to Inbar and to all of the children!

Labels: cancer victims, Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:44 PM