SRINAGAR (KIMS) — A flight carrying around 80 Indian students, including several from Kashmir along with pilgrims has been delayed at Dubai International Airport following a drone-related security incident, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) said on Monday.
In a statement, JKSA national convenor Nasir Khuehami said the Flydubai flight FZ441, travelling from Armenia to Dubai and onward to New Delhi had successfully completed the first leg of the journey and landed in Dubai earlier.
However, the onward departure to Delhi was delayed after a drone-related incident reportedly caused a fuel tank to catch fire within the airport premises, leading to a temporary suspension and disruption of several flight operations.
The flight was earlier scheduled to arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi at 9:55 am today, but the aircraft remains in Dubai and has not yet departed, he said.
Khuehami added that due to the prevailing security situation and operational disruptions at the airport, several flights have been cancelled while the connecting flight to Delhi currently remains delayed.
Around 70 Indian students, the majority of them from Kashmir, along with several pilgrims safely arrived in India on Sunday on a commercial flight.
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association had earlier expressed gratitude to S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister and Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary for their timely intervention and support in facilitating transit permissions, visa clearances and the relocation of stranded students to safer locations, which helped make their return possible. — (KIMS)