Israeli aviation officials are investigating whether a service vehicle's collision with an Israir aircraft at a London airport last week was more than a routine accident, amid growing suspicions that the incident may have been motivated by nationalist hostility.
The concerns stem from the fact that this was the third time in less than a year that a British airport service vehicle has struck an Israir aircraft at the same airport, prompting Israeli authorities to question whether the repeated incidents are coincidental.
The latest collision occurred on Friday, forcing the cancellation of an Israir flight scheduled to depart London for Tel Aviv. Following the impact, the aircraft was removed from service for inspections and an investigation. After assessing the damage, officials decided to cancel the flight, disrupting the travel plans of dozens of passengers.
Senior aviation officials said the pattern of repeated collisions has raised suspicions that the latest incident may have been deliberate. Israel has submitted an official request to British aviation authorities calling for a thorough investigation into the recurring events and measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Following the cancellation, some passengers were accommodated in hotels while others were rebooked on alternative flights. Sabbath-observant travelers remained in London until Sunday, when an additional flight to Israel was arranged.
Passengers said they were kept onboard the aircraft for about an hour without air conditioning before the plane was shut down. They then waited approximately another hour before being informed that the flight had been canceled.