Emirates flight makes emergency landing at Kochi

A major accident was averted after the pilot of a Dubai bound Emirates flight noticed a hydraulic failure and returned to Kochi airport in southern India.

The Emirates Airline flight EK 533 made an emergency landing amidst high drama and surrounded by fire and ambulances from the airport’s emergency unit.

The pilot noticed a serious technical snag immediately after take-off and immediately requested for an emergency landing, airport officials have said.

The Boeing 777-200 flight, which departed at 4:30am from Nedumbassery airport had 205 passengers and 14 crew.

"The flight made an emergency landing at Kochi airport 30 minutes later, after the pilot spotted a hydraulic system failure," an airport official said.

Reports quoting airport director ACK Nair said that all precautionary measures were taken and the mobile fire-fighting units and para-medical services were brought on either side of the runway to handle any eventuality.

Fire units from three neighbouring places Angamaly, Perumbavoor and Aluva  -- rushed to the airport even before the flight landed.

Senior police and Central Industrial Security Force officials were also present on the site.

On August 24 an Emirates flight EK 253 from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to Kochi made an emergency landing 45 minutes after it departed.

The Airbus A330-200 had 278 passengers on board at the time.

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