An Egyptian air force captain today landed his air plane at an Israeli airfield, and asked for asylum. He turned his aircraft over to the Israeli authorities. The pilot, Capt. Muhamed Abbas Hilmi, was flying a piston-engined YAK-II.
Egyptian army planes tried to intercept Hilmi. But the Egyptian interceptors fled back to their own territory when Israeli air force fighter planes rose to project Hilmi and escort him to a safe landing at an Israeli air base.
This was the first instance of an Egyptian pilot surrendering voluntarily, together with his Ship, to Israeli authorities. His intention of landing in this country had evidently become known to the Egyptians. But the Israeli fighters were also on the alert, and assured the pilot’s safe arrival and landing.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
