Air France Resumes Flight after Diversion over Airport Road Closure
Air France said Thursday it will resume its flight to Lebanon, a day after it was forced to land briefly in Syria and then head to Cyprus after protesters blocked the road leading to the Beirut airport.
A spokeswoman said the plane took off Wednesday from Paris, but was diverted when it was an hour from Beirut because of concerns passengers would be trapped if it landed.
The spokeswoman said air traffic control suggested the plane land in Jordan, but it didn't have enough fuel. Instead, it touched down in Damascus.
After refueling, it went to Cyprus, where passengers spent the night.
Several family members of 11 Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria closed the airport road over conflicting reports that the men were killed in a Syrian army raid on the town of Aazaz in the province of Aleppo.
The men were kidnapped by armed rebels while on their way from a pilgrimage in Iran on May 22.
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet, Associated Press
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