An Emirates plane carrying 300 people crashed while landing; 1 firefighter…
An Emirates flight from India to Dubai made an emergency landing at Dubai’s main airport on Wednesday, and all 300 people on board survived, according to the airline.
A firefighter was killed while responding to the incident, according to a statement from the airline’s chairman and CEO. Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum also reported that 10 people were hospitalized following the incident at Dubai International Airport.
Emirates confirmed that 282 passengers and 18 crew members were safe and accounted for after the incident, although no further details about the event were provided.
There were signs of wind shear or sudden downdrafts at the airport during the aircraft’s descent, but it remains unclear whether this had any impact on the situation, as the airline’s CEO noted afterward.
Emirates Airlines, based in Dubai and recognized as the largest airline in the Middle East, reported that the emergency landing occurred at 12:45 PM local time when flight EK521 was landing from Thiruvananthapuram, southern India.
Social media users reported seeing smoke at the scene, and images showed a plane on fire on the airport runway.
A passenger named Iype Vallikadan stated that the pilot informed them of an issue with the landing gear as the plane was approaching Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and that they would have to make an emergency landing, according to the Associated Press.
Among the passengers were six U.S. citizens, as specified by the airline. Additionally, there were 226 individuals from India, 24 from the United Kingdom, 11 from the United Arab Emirates, six from Saudi Arabia, five from Turkey, and four from Ireland.
Boeing, the American aircraft manufacturer, announced that a technical team is ready to assist with the investigation alongside the National Transportation Safety Board.
Saif Mohamed Al Suwaidi, the Director General of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, tweeted that the agency has activated an investigation team in collaboration with Emirates Airlines and Dubai Airport. He stated, “Our top priority at this time is the safety and health of all passengers and crew.”
Founded in 1985, Emirates has established a strong safety record. Dubai International Airport is the busiest airport in the region, serving 78 million passengers last year.
The airport reported that other flights were delayed by about six hours, and operations resumed just before 7 PM local time.