Nine Kuwaiti planes make emergency landings in Basra due to dense fog

Nine Kuwaiti aircraft were forced to make emergency landings at Basra International Airport in Iraq on Sunday after heavy fog over Kuwait severely reduced visibility, the Iraqi Airports Authority reported.

An Iraqi security official told local media that the diversions were conducted under the “Second Freedom of the Air”, which allows aircraft to land for technical or safety reasons without prior permission. All nine planes landed safely without incident.

Dense fog blanketed southern Basra, Kuwait’s coastline, and Iran’s Ahvaz region, causing a significant drop in horizontal visibility and disrupting normal air traffic in the area.

The Iraqi Airports Authority said airports nationwide were fully prepared to handle both scheduled and unscheduled flights, including emergency landings.

They confirmed that Basra International Airport received the nine Kuwaiti aircraft and passengers smoothly, with operations coordinated alongside regular flights.

The airport administration stressed that it remains ready to accommodate any emergency flights to ensure passenger safety and maintain uninterrupted air traffic.