RUNWAY DRAMA
THIS is the terrifying moment an Emirates flight was forced to return to the gate after smoke began pouring out of the engine only moments before takeoff.
Fire trucks were seen spraying the smoking rear of the Boeing 777 ahead of a flight from St Petersburg, Russia, to Dubai.
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Passengers disembarked the plane and rushed into the terminal at Pulkovo airport shortly before midnight.
Russian emergency services said: "Smoke came from an aircraft engine at St Petersburg Pulkovo airport.
Emirates said: “Flight EK176 from St Petersburg to Dubai on 30 June 2023 returned to the stand due to reports of smoke being detected during push back for departure.
"As a precaution, all passengers and crew were disembarked while the aircraft was attended by the local authorities and fire services.”
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The cause of the smoke was not disclosed, but 228 passengers and 15 crew evacuated the plane.
The flight eventually took off five hours late and arrived safely in Dubai at around 11:30am local time following a six and a half hour flight.
An airline spokesperson said: "Passengers were reboarded after inspections were completed and the aircraft departed with a delay.
“We apologise for the inconvenience.
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“The safety of our passengers and cabin crew is of utmost importance and it will not be compromised.”
Emirates has continued to operate flights to and from Russia despite Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, which has seen Western airlines cancel all services to the country.
Western sanctions relating to the aircraft industry have hit Russia's ability to service and repair planes.
Last year, passengers heard a horrifying "loud bang" as a loose bolt ripped a massive hole in an Airbus A380.
The ear-splitting noise shook holidaymakers travelling from Dubai to Brisbane just 45 minutes after take-off.
The sudden sound could allegedly be felt through the floor, but terrified passengers had no idea what had caused it.
Luckily, the 14-hour trip passed without any further problems and cabin crew remained calm.
But after landing at Brisbane Internation Airport at nearly 11pm, the travellers were gobsmacked to discover a gaping hole in the side of the plane.
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Photos show where the left fuselage of the aircraft had been ripped open, understood to have been caused by a bolt detached in the nose gear.
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