When Emirates Flight EK501 made a rare mid-air turn amid escalating Middle East crisis
PTC Web Desk: An Emirates aircraft flying from Mumbai to Dubai was forced to perform an unusual mid-air manoeuvre after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) activated its air defence systems in response to a reported missile threat from Iran.
According to flight tracking platform Flightradar24, Emirates flight EK501 was temporarily kept outside UAE airspace on Tuesday morning after the authorities issued an alert about ballistic missiles launched from Iran. The plane, which had departed from Mumbai, was seen making what aviation observers described as a rare “double reverse” movement before eventually proceeding toward Dubai.
And now for the rarely seen double reverse. https://t.co/Kn5v0kLg1f https://t.co/GpSPZVOVBP pic.twitter.com/2bcDIRFlBn
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 3, 2026
Live tracking data showed the aircraft initially altering course in the direction of Mumbai, suggesting a possible return. However, it later realigned with its original path to Dubai before being instructed to hold due to ongoing aerial activity linked to Iranian missile fire. After the situation stabilised, the flight safely landed in Dubai.
The incident comes amid intensifying hostilities across West Asia. Several commercial flights have been disrupted in recent days as countries in the region imposed temporary airspace restrictions and cancelled services for safety reasons. On Monday, limited evacuation flights were allowed after airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah gradually resumed operations.
Both Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport reportedly suffered minor damage during Iranian strikes, mainly due to debris from intercepted drones. Authorities confirmed that one fatality occurred in Abu Dhabi during the attacks.
The broader crisis escalated after the United States and Israel carried out coordinated military strikes against Iran on Saturday. In response, Iran launched a series of drone and missile attacks targeting US military installations in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq. The conflict has since widened, with the Iran-backed group Hezbollah reportedly entering the confrontation from Lebanon.
- With inputs from agencies
