An Etihad Airways flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi was forced to abort its take-off earlier today, January 5, due to technical reasons, the airline confirmed in a Khaleej Times report. Flight EY461, operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, was brought to a stop on the runway after the crew decided to reject the take-off.
Emergency services attended the scene as a precaution, applying foam to the aircraft’s landing gear tyres—standard procedure following a high-speed rejected take-off. While videos shared online showed smoke near the aircraft, the airline clarified that the smoke resulted from two tyres bursting during the incident and assured the public that the aircraft did not catch fire.
All passengers and crew safely disembarked without injuries. Etihad Airways stated that their teams are working to assist affected passengers in continuing their journeys as soon as possible.
“We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused. The safety and comfort of our guests and crew remain our highest priority,” the airline said in a statement.
