Emirates Boeing 777 Diverts To Athens Over Terror Threat

The plane was diverted to Athens due to a passenger from the CIA in the US.

The plane was flying from Athens to Newark. The flight left Athens on time and was flying over Sardinia when it entered a holding pattern. There are stops in Athens in both directions on the fifth freedom flight.

After holding for around 30 minutes over Sardinia, the aircraft returned to Greece and landed safely in Athens. The aircraft was escorted by two Hellenic Air Force F-16 fighter jets. The route the plane took was a huge detour from its normal route.

The aircraft was not allowed to land in Italy and France. This could be the reason for the return route. It is uncommon for an aircraft to avoid flying over land.

Only those who boarded the flight at Athens were allowed to disembark, while those from the other side of the world remained on the plane. The cargo hold of the plane may have been the location of the suspicious passenger.

Flight From Athens to Dubai Delayed

The other flights were affected by the threat. There was a delay of several hours on another flight from Athens. The plane was taxiing to the runway. Passengers were asked to disembark the aircraft after it was returned to the gate. The police didn't find anything suspicious after searching both flights.

“Emirates can confirm flight EK210 from Athens to Dubai on 10 November returned to stand before take-off, and flight EK209 from Athens to Newark on 10 November also made an unscheduled return to Athens, due to security checks requested by the authorities.”

Emirates spokesperson

On November 11th, the passengers on flight EK206 will be given overnight accommodations. A spokesman for the airline apologized for the hassle.

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