Emirates flight to Brussels diverted to Erbil due to medical emergency

Dubai: An Emirates flight bound for Brussels, Belgium, was diverted to Erbil in Iraq after a passenger on board suffered a medical emergency. An Emirates spokesperson said, "Emirates flight EK181 was diverted to Erbil (and) the passenger was met by local medical staff upon arrival."

After less than two hours on the ground, the aircraft refuelled and continued its journey to Brussels. Emirates apologised for the inconvenience caused. "The safety of our crew and passengers is of the utmost importance," said the airline.

Emirates currently operates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with its 'Game Changer' fully-enclosed First Class suites to Brussels. The airline has bolstered its presence in the Asian, Australian, and European markets since January 2023, with service expansions to Brisbane, Bangkok, Taiwan, Tokyo-Haneda, Glasgow, and Birmingham. Moreover, Emirates has codeshare agreements with 26 airlines extending its reach to over 5,000 cities worldwide.