Dubai, (PTI) Three hundred people, mostly Indians, had a miraculous escape today when a packed Emirates flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai crash-landed and exploded on the runway here, shutting down one of the world's busiest airports and killing one of the firefighters.
Emirates confirmed that flight EK521 with 282 passengers and 18
crew members on board was involved in an accident at Dubai international airport. The airline said there were 226 Indians aboard the Boeing 777-300.
"We can confirm that there are no fatalities among our passengers
and crew. All passengers and crew are accounted for and safe," the
airline said in statement.
However, a firefighter died while saving the lives of others, said
the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
Around 10 passengers were treated for smoke inhalation and burn
injuries at a hospital after the accident. Only one person was admitted
for long-term treatment, local media said.
The flight departed at 10.19 AM from Thiruvananthapuram International
Airport and was scheduled to land at 12.50 PM at Dubai International Airport.
Among the 282 passengers, seven infants were also travelling, Thiruvananthapuram
Airport director George Tharakkan told PTI.
The flight had two Indian crew members on board, he said. There
were a total of 74 foreigners on board including 24 from the UK,
11 from the UAE and six each from the US and Saudi Arabia.
There was no clarity over the cause of the accident, but media reports said the landing gear collapsed and the plane slid and exploded.
Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation and chairman and chief executive of Emirates airlines, said, "He can confirm the aircraft was up to date with inspection checks. It
was very much clear to land that day."
Shaikh Ahmad says he can't comment at the moment on whether there were any issues with the landing gear.
"I don't want to give you something which isn't 100 per cent transparent," he said.
Shaikh Ahmad said the aircraft may have aborted its initial landing due to wind shear.
He said the pilots had 7,000 hours of flying time.
The incident was the most serious to date for Emirates, it being
the only loss for the airline since it started operations in 1985.
The plane which was involved in the accident was 13 years old.
Meanwhile, Dubai airport authorities suspended all operations after the Emirates flight accident.
