Firefighter Dies After Dubai Plane Crash-Lands

Sky News3 August 2016

A firefighter was killed while responding to a plane that crash-landed at Dubai airport and became engulfed in fire, the Emirates airline chairman has said.

The passenger jet, carrying 300 people, crash-landed at Dubai International Airport and burst into flames.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum told a news conference that 14 people were taken to hospital as a result of the landing. 

The firefighter has been named as Jassim Eissa al-Baloushi on the Twitter account of Dubai's ruler , Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

He said Emiratis should be proud of how he died "protecting life and saving people."

The Emirates CEO had earlier confirmed there were no fatalities among the passengers or crew, who were safely evacuated.

He also told reporters the crash was not caused by any breach of security, but added that authorities were still investigating the incident.

The airline confirmed flight EK521, carrying 282 passengers and 18 crew, was "involved in an accident" around 12.45pm local time.

Twenty-four Britons and four Irish passengers were among those on board the jet, which was flying from Kerala, India.

Footage posted online showed flames bursting out of the front of the Boeing 777-300.

Clouds of black smoke could be seen billowing from the plane in other pictures posted to social media.

Passengers on board said the pilot told them there was a problem with the landing gear and that he would be making an emergency landing, according to Indian media reports.

India's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates said that many passengers were in shock after the ordeal.

All take-offs and landings were suspended at the Middle East's busiest airport following the incident, resuming almost six hours after the crash-landing.

Emirates said it expected a network wide delay for eight hours.

"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 airline said.

Passenger Alby Wilson, who was waiting in the airport lounge, told Sky News: "There was a loud noise outside. People ran to the windows and we saw the plane about 500 metres away.

"There was a lot of black smoke all across the tarmac ... we were told to sit down and shortly after that there was a loud bang ... the plane seemed to have shifted. The fire trucks were all around the plane.

"There is a bit of chaos here and Emirates staff don't seem to know when we can leave."

Boeing Airplanes said in a statement: "Our team is monitoring the situation in Dubai and we'll be working with Emirates to gather more information."