Dubai International Airport resumed normal operations at 1400 AM (1800 GMT) on Monday after an eight-hour closure caused by an accident involving a Bangladeshi aircraft, a press release by the airport said.

 

Rescue workers gather around a Bangladesh Airlines plane following an accident at Dubai airport. Fifteen people were injured when an Bangladeshi airliner was forced to abort its takeoff from Dubai, prompting the closure of the region's busiest airport for more than seven hours.[AFP]

The Bangladesh airliner after it was forced to abort its takeoff at Dubai airport. Twenty-seven people were injured when the airliner was forced to abort its takeoff from Dubai, prompting the closure of the region's busiest airport for more than seven hours.[AFP]

 

Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) announced an eight- hour closure for Dubai International Airport, after Flight BG 006 of Bangladesh's Biman Airlines had an "accident" during departure and failed to take off around 0630 AM (1030 GMT) Monday.

 

According to the press release posted on the website of Dubai International Airport, the closure affected a total of 71 flights, of which 36 departing flights were cancelled.

 

A total of 35 incoming flights were diverted to airports in other cities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and cities in neighboring countries, including Oman's Muscat, Kuwait and Iran's Shiraz.

 

The Bangladeshi aircraft was carrying 229 passengers and crew when it had an accident during departure. A total of 27 passengers suffered from minor injuries that were attended to immediately by the emergency medical team at the airport. Only one injured passenger was taken to Trauma Center at Rashid Hospital, and was discharged by afternoon.

 

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and DCA are investigating the cause of the accident.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2007)