Reports of an Emirates airliner hijacked turned out to be a mere hoax as the Dubai-based airline immediately called reports “highly inaccurate”, according to Khaleej Times.
On Monday, international media reported that a Dubai-Nairobi Emirates flight, Boeing 777-200 with 272 passengers and 15 crew members on board, landed in Aden, Yemen, with a hijacker on board. Ms. Barton, of the Emirates’ Public Relations Department issued a statement calling the incident “false” and announced that the aircraft indeed landed in Aden due to the captain’s suspicion of a technical fault after taking off at 8:10 am (Dubai time) from the Dubai International Airport.
The Zimbabwean captain of flight EK423 was amazed at the hijack reports and declared that he was receiving excellent treatment from Yemen’s Airport authorities. Ms. Barton emphasized that the plane was being checked and that all passengers were safe. As of now, Yeminia - Yemen Airways, are taking care of the passengers until the plane will be cleared and Emirates’ staff from Yemen’s capital Sanaa are prepared to look after lodging facilities, if the need arises.
Emirates announced that an alternative airplane had been sent to Aden to take all passengers to their original destination of Nairobi, just in time for their Christmas celebrations. Engineers from Dubai are on board the aircraft, which was sent, in order to check any faults on the grounded plane. (Albawaba.com)
