The El Al Boeing 737-800 (registered 4X-EKA) operated flight LY5102 between Warsaw, Poland, and Tel Aviv, Israel, when a medical issue with one of the passengers forced the crew to divert the aircraft to the Turkish airport of Antalya.
Once the sick passenger was transported to a nearby hospital, the pilots requested fuel in order to continue their journey to Tel Aviv. According to reports by Israeli broadcast Channel 12, however, the local ground handler refused to refuel the aircraft.
Without knowing specific details, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact reason, but relations between Turkey and Israel have been strained at times. This could have influenced the decision of the ground handler, especially if there were specific instructions or policies in place regarding services to Israeli aircraft.
After the refusal, the pilots requested a flight plan towards the Greek island of Rhodes. In the evening, passengers and crew finally arrived back in Israel after a lengthy delay. The incident happened on the 30th of June.
