Emirates A380 makes rare emergency landing in Accra after smoke warning
Passengers travelling aboard an Emirates Airbus A380 from Dubai to São Paulo were forced to make an unscheduled stop at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, after the aircraft received a technical warning indicating possible smoke in its forward cargo compartment.
The flight, EK261, was operating from Dubai International Airport to São Paulo on Friday, January 9, when the crew received the alert while the aircraft was en route across the African continent and preparing to cross the South Atlantic Ocean.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft, bearing registration A6-EUG, departed Dubai at 9:51 am, around 46 minutes behind its scheduled departure time. The initial stages of the long-haul flight were reported to be uneventful.
The situation changed when intermittent warnings suggested that smoke may have been emanating from the aircraft’s forward cargo hold. Acting out of caution, the flight crew decided to divert to the nearest suitable airport capable of handling the Airbus A380, selecting Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
The aircraft landed safely in Accra at approximately 4:30 pm local time without further incident. Upon arrival, the plane was inspected by technical personnel, who later determined that the alert was the result of a system malfunction rather than an active fire.
After clearance was granted, the aircraft resumed its journey, departing Accra at about 7:31 pm local time. It later arrived at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport at 11:24 pm, approximately six hours later than scheduled. The return flight from São Paulo was also delayed by about 90 minutes as a result of the diversion.
Aviation analysts note that the captain’s decision to divert early was influenced by the need to ensure access to an airport capable of accommodating the world’s largest passenger aircraft. Had the flight continued further into the Atlantic, diversion options would have been significantly reduced.
The aircraft involved, with serial number 219, has been in service with Emirates since October 2016. It conducted its first test flight in April 2016 under a temporary Airbus registration before joining the airline’s fleet.
The diversion marked a rare appearance of the Airbus A380 in Accra and only the third time the double-decker aircraft has landed at Kotoka International Airport. Emirates previously operated a one-off A380 service to Accra in 2018 to showcase the airport’s new terminal and its capacity to handle large aircraft.
British Airways was the second airline to bring an A380 to Accra, when one of its aircraft made a technical fuel stop at the airport in September 2022 during a Johannesburg to London Heathrow flight.
Although passengers ultimately arrived several hours late in São Paulo and some onward connections may have been disrupted, the diversion underscored Emirates’ adherence to safety procedures and its willingness to take precautionary action to protect passengers and crew.
