FIRST REPORT 7:55PM EST: [UPDATES & PHOTOS BELOW] Dozens of ambulances from MDA, Hatzolah Volunteers, Police, and Rescue Personnel are all currently responding to Ben Gurion Airport for a confirmed aircraft emergency. Sources tell YWN Israel that the landing gear of an incoming aircraft is not going down, and an emergency has been declared. There are reportedly 279 passengers aboard the aircraft.

[CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO ENLARGE]

UPDATE 8:16PM EST: There are conflicting reports as to what flight this aircraft is, but the latest info is that it is El Al flight 27. This will be confirmed shortly.

UPDATE 8:24PM EST: YWN Israel has confirmed that the The El Al plane, which has 279 passengers on board, has a faulty left wheel.

UPDATED 8:35PM EST: The flight is scheduled to land at 5:15 Israel Time. A YWN Israel reporter live on the scene reports that additional rescue personnel are still arriving.

UPDATE 9:05PM EST: This flight took off from Ben Gurion Airport en-route to Newark Airport, when just after takeoff the landing gear malfunctioned. The aircraft has been dumping fuel over the water for the past 2 hours, and will do so until 5:15AM Israel Tme.

UPDATE 9:45PM EST: Reports stating that the aircraft has landed are false. YWN will publish an update as soon as the aircraft lands, or there is any other available update.

UPDATE 9:54PM EST: YWN has confirmed that the flight is in fact packed with Americans returning to the U.S. after spending Lag BaOmer in Meron. We have also confirmed that there are multiple Hatzolah members from the New York area aboard the plane as well.

UPDATE 10:00PM EST: With 10 minutes until the emergency landing, all emergency personal have just been loaded onto the ambulances.

UPDATE 10:31PM EST: THE PLANE HAS LANDED SAFELY BORUCH HASHEM – CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE FIRST IMAGE OF AIRCRAFT ON GROUND.

YWN PHOTO LINK: Click HERE for images live from the scene.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)