The group of 12 Malaysians freed by Israel Wednesday following the seizure of a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship earlier this week left Amman for Istanbul en route to Malaysia Friday.

They were accompanied on the Royal Jordanian (RJ) plane by Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and ministry officials.

The RJ165 flight took off from Queen Alia International Airport at 11.20am local time (4.20pm in Malaysia).

Present at the airport to see them off was Malaysian ambassador to Jordan Abdul Malek Abdul Aziz.

They are scheduled to leave Istanbul Saturday afternoon and arrive at KL International Airport at 5.50am on Sunday on Malaysia Airlines.

A ministry official told Bernama in Amman they would be received by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

They and their family members will then be whisked away in three buses to the private residence of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur.

The 12, including two Astro Awani television crew members, were on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara which was attacked by Israeli forces in international waters on Monday, resulting in several deaths.

With pro-Palestine activists from other countries on board, the vessel was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, a coastal enclave which has been under a debilitating Israeli blockade for the past three years.

- Bernama