Emirates Airbus A380 superjumbo was severely damaged at Moscow Domodedovo Airport after a ground services truck became wedged underneath it.
The truck partially crushed the aircraft, causing significant damage to its belly. Emirates flight EK134 has been cancelled due to contact with the ground services vehicle before passengers boarding.
All affected passengers have been rebooked on a later flight. The United Arab Emirates has maintained diplomatic relations with Russia during the Ukraine war, and Dubai has become a popular holiday destination for Russians.
Emirates operates two daily A380 flights to Moscow Domodedovo Airport and a daily Boeing 777-300 service to St Petersburg.
However, US and EU sanctions imposed on Russia since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine make it illegal to import spare parts for Western-built aircraft, potentially posing a serious issue in getting the aircraft airworthy again.
