False alarm triggers panic on Emirates flight

Kochi bound passengers on Emirates airlines flight EK 532 from Dubai werereceived a major scare when a fire alarm went off just before landing earlier today. The flight was travelling with 281 passengers on board.

According to airport officials, the captain informed the Air Traffic Control about the alarm just before it landed. The flight arrived in Kochi at 3.05am.

The airport officials immediately summoned the fire brigade personnel. However the alarm was later found to be false.

A senior airline spokesperson told Emirates Business, “As the flight was touching down in Cochin, a warning was triggered in one of the engines. The fire authorities came to the aircraft when it drew to a stop, but no fire or smoke was found. The A320-200 aircraft continued taxiing and passengers were disembarked as per normal.”

Meanwhile, the aircraft has been grounded and taken to the parking bay. Its onward journey to Dubai today has been cancelled. About 82 passengers from Kochi have been put on an alternative flight.

Lately, there has been panic among air travellers, especially after an Air India Express flight travelling from Dubai to Mangalore crashed in May, leaving 158 passengers dead.