Four Irish people have been reported safe after the Emirates flight they were on crash landed at Dubai International Airport earlier today and burst into flames.
The Boeing 777 was traveling from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala and a popular tourist destination.
This Emirates flight burst into flames after a crash landing in Dubai.
All 300 people on board are reportedly safe.https://t.co/Ubl6r5lJdp
— AJ+ (@ajplus) August 3, 2016
All of the 282 passengers and 18 crew members on board Flight EK521 evacuated safely from the plane before it caught fire. One firefighter is believed to have perished combatting the blaze.
Emirates airline issued a statement that read “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 operational incident upon landing at Dubai International Airport. There were 282 passengers and 18 crew on board.”
Emirates flight #EK521 involved in an operational incident upon landing. More details on: https://t.co/GUcttgaIpm
— Emirates airline (@emirates) August 3, 2016
The majority of those on board were of Indian nationality (226), and four were Irish The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement that “Ireland’s Embassy in Abu Dhabi is engaging with relevant authorities. The Department stands ready to provide consular assistance if requested.”
Watch: Chaos inside the Emirates flight that made an emergency landing at Dubai International airport earlier today. pic.twitter.com/P7O59VeVVw
— Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) August 3, 2016
In recent years, Dubai has become an increasingly popular choice for Irish expats, with Irish teachers being particularly in demand for jobs in the UAE city.
The cause of the crash and subsequent fire are still under investigation.
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