Chennai news: A Dubai-bound Emirates flight with 280 passengers on board caused a stir at Chennai International Airport on Tuesday night after smoke was detected emanating from the wing portion of the aircraft, airport officials confirmed. The incident occurred just before the scheduled departure of the flight, leading to a brief delay and heightened security checks.
The Emirates flight EK547, which was set to depart for Dubai at 10 pm, had arrived earlier from Dubai at 8:30 pm. At approximately 9:15 pm, smoke was spotted by the crew, prompting an immediate alert to airport authorities. Fire tenders were swiftly deployed, and technical experts inspected the aircraft. According to officials, the smoke dissipated within 10 minutes, as reported by PTI.
While the cause of the smoke was not immediately disclosed, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security ordered a comprehensive check of the aircraft. The safety of the passengers was prioritized, leading to a delay in the flight’s departure, as reported by DT Next.
The flight eventually took off just after midnight following a thorough inspection and clearance from engineers. Emirates later released a statement addressing the incident: "Emirates flight EK547 from Chennai to Dubai on 24 September 2024 was delayed due to a technical fault. Following an engineering inspection, the aircraft was cleared to proceed to Dubai. Emirates apologises for the inconvenience caused. The safety of our passengers and crew is of the utmost importance."
The delay caused concern among passengers, but airport officials confirmed that all safety protocols were followed, and the situation was handled without any harm to the passengers or crew.It is also speculated that the fire was due to filing excess fuel in the aircraft by mistake.