Israeli couple forget daughter - but not their 18 suitcases!

London, Aug 5 : An Israeli couple going for a European vacation boarded the flight with their 18 suitcases, but forgot their three-year-old daughter at the airport.

The girl, youngest of the five siblings, was found wandering at the Ben-Gurion airport's duty free shopping area, crying for her mother.

The family was running late and made a mad dash for their flight to Paris. In the confusion the little girl was left behind.

"I saw a little girl in tears. She was looking for her parents," the Telegraph quoted a policewoman, as saying.

"Luckily she was able to give me her name. I grabbed her and ran to the gates but it was too late the plane had just taken off," she added.

The family realised that their daughter was missing when airport police contacted the cabin staff mid-air.

The child, accompanied by an airline staff member, was put aboard the next flight to Paris where she was reunited with her parents.

The parents were sitting in different parts of the plane and may have thought each other had the child. Authorities are expected to question the parents when they return to Israel. They may end up facing neglect charges.

"It is usual that travellers in a rush forget their luggage but not a child. This never happens," said a police official.

ANI