Emirates plane bursts into flames on emergency landing at Dubai International Airport

Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising into the air from the plane and the fire was allowed to burn through the plane.

Passengers evacuated from the flight said that minutes before the flight crash-landed, the pilot made an announcement that he needed to make an emergency landing.

Iype Vallikadan, a reporter from Indian newspaper Mathrubhumi News, reported that the passengers said the pilot spoke as the plane neared Dubai, saying there was a problem with the landing gear and that he would make an emergency landing.

The cabin crew opened all the emergency exits of the plane and that all 300 passengers and crew on board the aircraft were evacuated within minutes of the landing.

No cause has so far been established for the crash.

A spokesman for the airline said: “Emirates can confirm that today, 3rd August 2016, flight EK521 travelling from Trivandrum International Airport in Thiruvananthapuram, India to Dubai has been involved in an accident at Dubai International Airport. There were 282 passengers and 18 crew on board.

“Our main priority at this time is the safety and wellbeing of all involved and full co-operation is being extended to the authorities and emergency services managing the situation.”
The area has been cordoned off and it is understood that all passengers were escorted from the flight.

Emirates later said “all passengers and crew are accounted for and safe.”
Dubai International Airport was closed to all flights, inbound and outbound.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a statement urging travellers to Dubai to check with their airline for details on delays and when normal flight schedules will resume.
The Aviation Herald reported that the Boeing 777-300, “suffered a collapse of the landing gear and burst into flames” as it landed on landed on Dubai’s runway 12L.

BREAKING [03.08-11:50] #aeroporto #Dubai #DXB #EmiratiArabi #INCENDIO #aereo Boeing 777-300 @emirates #UAE521 #EK521 pic.twitter.com/rMgqDxZnSl

— Emergenza24 (@Emergenza24) August 3, 2016

At least one engine seem to have come of after landing-accident #777 @emirates at #DXB #DubaiInternational. pic.twitter.com/fATOarfRS2

— Dave Abspoel (@DABNOS) August 3, 2016

Fire under control #Dxb #dubaiairport pic.twitter.com/ugRZpV22nm

— Krishna Bhagavathula (@kbhagava) August 3, 2016

Emirates aircraft, EK521, was flying from Thiruvananthapuram, India, to Dubai when it made an emergency landing, Dubai airport sources told Gulf News. Hundreds of thousands of residents from the southern Indian state of Kerala — Thiruvananthapuram is the capital city — work in the Gulf countries.

Krishna Bhagavathula, who was at the airport, wrote on Twitter that the flames had burned through the top of the aircraft before being brought under control.

A spokesman for the Dubai media office, which represents the Emirate’s government, said flight EK521 was arriving on schedule from India when it “crash-landed”.

“All passengers were evacuated safely and no injuries have been reported so far,” a statement added.

“Authorities at Dubai International Airport are dealing with the incident at the moment to ensure safety of all.”

The accident comes almost four months after a plane belonging to Dubai’s other carrier, flydubai, crashed and burst into flames as it was landing in Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia, killing all 61 people onboard.

On July 26, an Emirates Boeing 777-300 aircraft heading to the Maldives made an emergency landing in Mumbai because of a “technical fault”.

In 2009, an Emirates A340 taking off from Melbourne struck several structures at the end of the runway before climbing high enough to return for a safe landing.

An incorrect take off was blamed and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau declared it an “accident”.

Airline Ratings ranks Emirates among the world’s safest carriers, with a seven star rating. It is the largest single operator of the Boeing 777, together with the Airbus A380 superjumbo, and has a fleet of 250 aircraft.

The Boeing 777 has a very good safety record although recent incidents have raised suggestions the model may be cursed.

Malaysia Airlines’ MH370 was a Boeing 777-200ER, as was the MH17 that was shot down over eastern Ukraine.

Last year a British Airways Boeing 777-200 dramatically caught fire on the runway of McCarren International Airport in Las Vegas forcing passengers to run for their lives.

But prior to Malaysia Airlines’ 2014 twin disasters, the 777 had a solid safety record.

The only incidents involving 777-300s have been relatively minor and with no injury or loss of life.

Originally published as Plane bursts into flames on landing