An Abu Dhabi bound Etihad Airways aircraft carrying nearly 300 passengers had to abort take off after two tyres burst at Melbourne Airport.
EY 461, Melbourne to Abu Dhabi, with 289 passengers was just few moments away from take-off when this incident occurred on January 5 2025. Emergency services at Melbourne Airport surrounded the Boeing 787 aircraft, applying protective foam to the landing gear as a safety measure, UK Mirror reported.
The airline confirmed all 289 passengers were safely evacuated and escorted back to the terminal. The runway closure at the Australian airport caused subsequent delays to other flights.
An Etihad Airways spokesperson stated: “Etihad Airways flight EY461 from Melbourne (MEL) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) experienced a rejected take-off on 05 January 2025. The flight crew decided to halt the take-off for technical reasons, the aircraft was safely brought to a stop on the runway and emergency services attended as a precaution.
“Guests have been disembarked safely and our teams are working to enable them to continue their onward journeys as quickly as possible. Etihad Airways sincerely regrets any inconvenience caused.
“The safety and comfort of our guests and crew remain our highest priority. The fire service applied foam to the tyres on the aircraft’s landing gear, which is a routine precaution following a high-speed rejected take-off.”
A representative from Melbourne Airport confirmed maintenance work was in progress, whilst operations continued using a single runway. They stated: “Etihad Airways flight EY461 rejected take off this evening when departing Melbourne Airport for Abu Dhabi. The Aviation Rescue and Firefighting Service responded to a request from the aircraft and deployed fire fighting foam as a precaution.
“Due to damage to the aircraft’s tyres, we have been unable to tow it off the runway. Repairs are currently underway. All passengers have disembarked the aircraft and have been bussed to the terminal. We continue to have one runway available for operations, which will be used for all arrivals and departures. Disruptions to other flights have been minimal.”
