On January 27th, at 10:30 a.m., Emirates flight EK448 departed from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with Auckland, New Zealand, as its intended destination.
Unfortunately, the flight did not reach its final destination. There was a warning that the incident involved scenes of severe flooding.
The expected duration of the flight was around 16 hours, covering a distance of approximately 9,000 miles.
However, after being in the air for about 13 hours, the plane ultimately returned and landed at Dubai International Airport.
According to reports, Emirates flight EK448 returning to Dubai International Airport was due to the news that Auckland Airport in New Zealand had been closed.
This closure was a result of severe flooding caused by a downpour of torrential rain in the city, which could be leading to the loss of life.
Based on the FlightAware data from the journey, the plane departed from Dubai International Airport and flew over the sea, reaching a point not far from Malaysia.
However, upon receiving information about the closure of Auckland Airport, the flight made a U-turn and returned to Dubai. The plane landed at the airport soon after midnight on Saturday, January 28th.
Auckland Airport was indeed forced to cancel both domestic and international flights. The flooding was so severe that it left travelers stranded inside the terminal buildings, navigating through knee-deep floodwaters.
In a statement, it said: “Auckland Airport has been assessing the damage to our international terminal and unfortunately determined that no international flights can operate today.
“We know this is extremely frustrating, but the safety of passengers is our top priority.”
The airport then reopened to domestic flights at lunchtime on Saturday following the severe flooding. Subsequently, international flights also resumed on Sunday morning, January 29th.
The Chief Executive, Carrie Hurihanganui, expressed her apologies and acknowledged the difficulties faced by passengers and airport staff during the challenging night.
She claimed that severe weather events can often lead to unforeseen circumstances and disruptions in airport operations, and the safety of travelers and employees is of paramount importance.
"Our teams, and those of our airport partners, continue to work around the clock to make sure we can get our domestic and international terminal operations open safely as soon as possible," she said.
The heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides that occurred since Friday led to officials declaring a state of emergency.
Auckland, in particular, experienced an exceptional amount of rain, equivalent to what the region typically receives throughout the entire summer season, all in just one day.
Severe weather in New Zealand's North Island led to a death toll of four, including a man swept away in Onewhero.
Following the sad incident, Mayor Wayne Brown expressed concern about the unprecedented rainfall, the largest in Auckland's history, surpassing expectations and challenging emergency services.
