Dublin: An Emirates Airlines (EK) flight from Dublin to Dubai International Airport (DXB) was delayed and temporarily diverted on July 14 following a medical emergency involving a passenger, prompting confusion and unfounded speculation on social media.
Initial reports circulating online falsely claimed that the aircraft had attempted to take off from the wrong runway. However, data from aviation tracking service FlightRadar24 confirmed that these claims were inaccurate. The delay was caused by a sudden medical issue involving a 34-year-old male passenger who lost consciousness during the initial takeoff roll.
In response to the emergency, the flight crew notified Dublin Air Traffic Control (ATC) and aborted the takeoff. The aircraft returned to the terminal area, where arrangements, including medical assistance and an ambulance, were put in place. Fortunately, the passenger regained consciousness shortly thereafter and was evaluated by medical professionals, who cleared him to continue the journey.
To facilitate a timely departure following the delay, the flight was reassigned from Runway 28R to Runway 28L due to operational cut-off times. This routine change contributed to the confusion among observers.
The aircraft eventually departed at 22:16, approximately one hour and 20 minutes behind schedule, and landed safely in Dubai at 04:55 local time. Despite speculation online, most passengers—including a number of Indian nationals—were reportedly unaware of the incident until after arrival.
Authorities have since reiterated that safety protocols were followed appropriately and that no operational error occurred regarding the runway or takeoff procedure.
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