An alarming incident unfolded at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport (DME) on Wednesday, March 27th, 2024. An Emirates A380, identified by its registration number A6-EDM, was involved in a collision with ground equipment, a Mercedes truck, while preparing for takeoff on flight EK134 back to Dubai (DBX).
.gif)
Reports indicate that the Emirates A380 had arrived earlier that day from Dubai and was parked at the stand-ready for its return flight. However, disaster struck when a truck somehow ended up crashing underneath the massive passenger jet. The exact cause of the incident remains under investigation, but according to some sources, the truck driver may have suffered a medical emergency, possibly a stroke, before losing control of the vehicle. It was reported that the truck driver was rushed to the hospital.
Thankfully, there are no reports of injuries to passengers or crew on the Emirates A380. However, the collision caused significant damage to the underside of the aircraft. The extent of the damage and the required repairs will determine how long the plane will be grounded. As a result of the incident, flight EK134 was immediately canceled, leaving passengers stranded in Moscow. The airline, Emirates, has reportedly begun working on rebooking passengers on alternative flights to their final destinations.
The question remains: how will Emirates will be able to repair A6-EDM with the sanctions imposed on Russia, which have caused a major crisis in aircraft spare parts and approved maintenance service providers.