Dubai-bound flight diverts to Athens after passenger death
United Airlines operates direct daily service between Newark and Dubai
DUBAI: A United Airlines flight from New York’s Newark Liberty International Airport to Dubai was forced to make an emergency landing in Athens on Friday following a mid-air medical emergency that resulted in the death of a passenger.
Flight UA164, a Boeing 777-300ER operating under registration N2140U, diverted while cruising south of Crete, after the passenger fell critically ill during the journey.
The aircraft landed safely at Athens International Airport at 14:30 local time (UTC+3), where medical teams were on standby. Despite the swift response, the passenger was declared dead upon arrival. After a ground delay of nearly two hours, the aircraft was cleared to resume its journey, taking off again at 16:20 and arriving in Dubai three and a half hours behind schedule.
Newark to Dubai
United Airlines had resumed its direct daily flights between Newark and Dubai in March 2023, marking the first US carrier service to the United Arab Emirates since 2016. The move came as part of a broader network expansion agreement between United and Emirates, signed in September 2022.
The agreement enables United’s passengers to connect to more than 100 destinations via Dubai, while Emirates' flyers gain access to over 200 cities in the United States. The resumed route is operated using a Boeing 777-200 aircraft and covers a distance of over 11,000 kilometres in approximately 13.5 hours.
United’s partnership with Emirates and flydubai has significantly strengthened its global connectivity footprint, particularly across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. With United being the only American airline currently flying directly to Dubai, the route holds strategic importance for the carrier's transcontinental services.
No further details about the deceased passenger have been released by authorities or the airline at this time.