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Emirates flight from Greece to New York is ordered to TURN BACK and second plane is grounded over ‘security concerns’ by the US – who alerted officials of a ‘suspicious’ passenger onboard
- An Emirates flight from Athens to Newark was forced to return to Greece after authorities in Greece ordered the plane back over ‘security concerns’
- The unrest also saw a second airliner grounded at Athens international airport – another Emirates flight, destined for Dubai – it took off hours later
- The decision to call back and ground the planes, officials said, stemmed from a request by United States authorities about a ‘suspicious’ passenger
- Greek police would not confirm the exact source and nature of the request and it was unclear how far into the flight the decision to turn back was made
An Emirates flight to New York was forced to turn around on Thursday after taking off from the Greek capital Athens, after authorities ordered the plane be grounded due to ‘security concerns,’ a state-owned news report has revealed.
A second Emirates flight, bound for Dubai, was also denied permission to take off from Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, in Athens.
The decision to call back and ground the planes reportedly stemmed from a request by United States authorities, who tipped off Greek police about a ‘suspicious’ passenger on the plane, police sources and local media said.
Greek authorities would not confirm the exact source and nature of the American request. The FAA and Port Authority – which controls Newark airport – are yet to comment on the situation.
The passengers were taken off the Dubai-bound plane, EK 210, after it taxied along the runway – only for the captain to inform them there was a technical problem, and explain they were returning to the gate, local media said.
The passengers disembarked, were searched, and then boarded again, with the plane taking off several hours later.
The New York-bound plane remains on the tarmac in Athens, with all passengers having disembarked safely.
An Emirates flight from Greece to New York was forced to return to Athens on Thursday after authorities in Greece ordered the plane back over ‘security concerns.’ Pictured is stock photo of an unrelated Emirates flight
Public new station ERT1 was the first to report on the disruptions, which saw pilots on Emirates flight ΕΚ 209 ordered return to the airport.
The plane, a Boeing 777, took off as planned at 5:20pm.
The aircraft was above Sardinia when the pilots were informed that they needed to turn back.
After receiving the request, the airport activated its crisis management team.
The plane circled Sardinia several times – some reports suggested that Italian and French authorities refused to let the plane land – and then returned to Athens, flying a circuitous route and avoiding passing over Sicily or western Greece.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that two Greek F16 fighter jets accompanied the plane as it returned to Greek airspace.
The plane landed safely in Athens, and the passengers disembarked.
This is a developing story; please check back for further updates.
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