UAE: Emirates Confirms Flight Grounded After Drone Strike, Safety ‘Highest Priority’
On August 18, an Emirates Airline Airbus A380-800 (registered A6-EOM) operating flight EK77 between Dubai, UAE, and Nice, France, reportedly experienced a concerning incident.
The massive double-deck aircraft was reportedly struck by a drone during its journey.
Emirates reportedly cancelled the scheduled return flight to Dubai, and the aircraft was grounded. The damage was located in a section of the leading edge of the plane.
Emirates flight incident: Safety and repairs
“Emirates can confirm that flight EK 77 landed normally and passengers and crew safely disembarked. Upon landing, engineers discovered some damage to a slat in the right wing, and the aircraft will remain on the ground to undergo further assessments. Safety is our highest priority and will not be compromised,” an airline spokesperson told Arabian Business.
In response to this incident, a repair operation was reportedly initiated. On the following Sunday, August 20, the damaged section of the aircraft’s leading edge was successfully replaced, allowing for a thorough assessment of the extent of the damage.
Authorities in France were quick to respond to the situation. The French investigation board, known as BEA, confirmed that they were actively investigating the incident.
However, as of now, they have not yet been able to definitively ascertain whether a drone was indeed responsible for the collision.
The Emirates Airline Airbus A380-800 resumed services late on Sunday afternoon, the report said, whereas the alleged operator of the drone responsible for this incident has not yet been identified.
