Femi Ashekun/
An Etihad Airways flight carrying 289 passengers was forced to abort take-off at Melbourne Airport after its landing gear caught fire, causing two tyres to explode.
The incident occurred shortly after 6pm (local time) on Sunday as Flight EY461 prepared to depart for Abu Dhabi.
According to passengers, the Boeing 787 jet had to execute an emergency stop on the runway due to smoke emanating from the landing gear.
Emergency services quickly responded, with fire crews applying foam to the landing gear as a precautionary measure. Footage from the scene shows the aircraft surrounded by fire trucks on the tarmac.
“There was a loud screech as the brakes were slammed. It was scary, but we’re all safe,” a passenger shared.
Etihad Airways confirmed there were no injuries and all passengers disembarked safely. “The flight crew decided to halt the take-off for technical reasons. Emergency services attended as a precaution, and the situation was managed safely,” an airline spokesperson said.
The damaged aircraft remained on the runway overnight, causing significant delays in both arrivals and departures. “With one runway operational, we are working to minimize disruptions as repairs continue,” a Melbourne Airport spokesperson stated.
Alternative travel arrangements are being made for affected passengers, while investigations into the technical fault are ongoing.
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