Etihad B787 Flight Faces Mid-Runway Emergency at Melbourne Airport

An etihad airways flight bound for Abu Dhabi faced a critical situation on Sunday at Melbourne Airport when two of its main gear tyres burst during takeoff.

The incident, involving nearly 300 passengers, led to an immediate and well-coordinated emergency response, ensuring the safety of everyone onboard.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating as flight EY461, was forced to abort takeoff following the tyre failure. While it is still unclear at what point during the takeoff procedure the tyres burst, the pilots quickly executed a rejected takeoff, bringing the aircraft to a safe stop on the runway.

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Emergency services responded swiftly, surrounding the aircraft and applying firefighting foam to the landing gear as a precautionary measure. Etihad Airways released a statement on its X (formerly Twitter) account, confirming that the takeoff was aborted due to “technical reasons.”

https://x.com/fl360aero/status/1875875688793694443

All 289 passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft by the crew, with no injuries reported. Despite the safe evacuation, the incident caused significant disruptions to Melbourne Airport’s operations, delaying and diverting several flights.

The impact of the incident extended into Monday morning, as only one runway remained operational for arrivals and departures. A Melbourne Airport spokeswoman confirmed that some flights were departing with reduced fuel loads, requiring mid-journey refueling to manage the limited runway capacity.

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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the tyre failure and assess potential safety concerns. Etihad Airways emphasized that passenger and crew safety is its top priority and confirmed its cooperation with the ongoing investigation.

The Aviation Rescue and Firefighting Service played a crucial role in managing the situation. Firefighting foam was deployed as a precautionary measure to prevent any potential fire risk, showcasing the importance of thorough safety protocols during emergencies.