West Asia conflict | Two Emirates flights return to Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram after Dubai airport temporarily suspends operations

Flight EK533 departed CIAL at 04.30 am with 325 people on board. En route, the aircraft was directed to turn

A Dubai-bound Emirates flight returned to Kochi airport on Monday after Dubai airport temporarily suspended flights following a drone attack.

PTI reported quoting Cochin International Airport (CIAL), who said that "Flight EK533 departed Cochin International Airport (CIAL) at 04.30 am with 325 people on board. En route, the aircraft was directed to turn back due to the sudden closure of Dubai International Airport."

The flight landed to Kochi at 08.30 am, he added.

“Passengers are advised to remain on board while the situation at DXB (Dubai) is reviewed. If the airport resumes operations, the return service will continue,” the spokesman said, reported PTI.

Similarly, another Emirates flight TRV–DXB also returned midway and landed at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The flight with 353 passengers and 19 crew members departed at 4.40 am and returned at 8.40 am. The spokesman said that the passengers would be shifted to the terminal.