Last night, an Emirates flight bound for Dubai experienced a concerning incident at Chennai airport when smoke began to billow from the tail of the Boeing 777 aircraft while it was parked on the tarmac. Fortunately, no passengers were on board at the time of the occurrence.
Technical Glitch Caught on Video
A video captured at the scene showed a plume of white smoke emanating from the engine compartment, attributed to an overfilling issue before take-off. Ground staff quickly cleared the area to ensure safety, although the smoke drifted toward another aircraft parked behind the Emirates flight.
Swift Action by Ground Staff
In response to the situation, ground staff alerted the pilots, who promptly shut down the engines to prevent any escalation of the incident. Fire engines rushed to the site to manage the smoke, and all planned passengers were deplaned for a safety inspection. Approximately 300 passengers were scheduled to travel on the flight, but the incident occurred before boarding commenced.
Flight Delayed, Investigation Launched
Originally slated for a 10 pm departure, the flight was delayed by over two hours and eventually took off at 12:30 am. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulatory body, has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Emirates Issues Apology
Emirates has issued an apology for the inconvenience caused to passengers, stating, “Following an engineering inspection, the aircraft was cleared to proceed to Dubai. The safety of our passengers and crew is of the utmost importance.” The airline reassured the public that all necessary precautions were taken to ensure a safe operation.
