Chennai, India: An Etihad Airways flight operating from Chennai to Abu Dhabi was delayed on Tuesday after a technical issue forced the aircraft to return to the gate before departure, prompting emergency response protocols at Chennai International Airport.
The incident involved Etihad Airways flight EY343, an Airbus A320, carrying around 280 passengers. Initial reports from local media and airport sources suggested that smoke or fire had been observed near the aircraft’s left wing during take-off preparations. However, the airline later issued a clarification denying that any fire had occurred onboard the aircraft.
Engineers detected a hydraulic leak during pre-departure checks while the aircraft was preparing for take-off from Chennai. Following the detection of the issue, the aircraft was declared “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG), indicating that it was temporarily unfit for operations pending inspection and maintenance.
Passengers were safely disembarked after the aircraft returned to the stand, and the aircraft was later towed back to the parking bay for technical inspection. No injuries were reported. Fire and rescue services were deployed as a precautionary measure in accordance with airport safety procedures.
In its official clarification, Etihad Airways said,“contrary to some media reports, there was no fire onboard the aircraft. The aircraft returned to stand due to a technical issue.” The airline further stated,“emergency services were activated as a precautionary measure, based on the Chennai International Airport (MAA) safety protocols.”
Etihad confirmed that flight EY343 returned to the gate prior to departure and passengers were subsequently disembarked safely. The carrier added that the flight was expected to depart approximately three hours behind schedule while technical teams carried out necessary checks.
The airline also apologised for the disruption and said its teams were assisting passengers with onward travel arrangements and flight updates.
