An Emirates 777-300ER bound for Newark, New Jersey returned to Athens after the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or other U.S. officials purportedly refused entry to at least one of the passengers onboard. Earlier reports falsely suggested a hijacking onboard. Emirates has now addressed the incident.
Emirates Athens – Newark Flight Returns To Athens Per USA Direction, Reportedly From CIA
EK209, traveling from Athens (ATH) to Newark (EWR) took off this evening heading for the USA. But once over Italy, it returned to Athens after reportedly being denied the right to land to in Italy or France.
The Boeing 777-300ER jet (A6-EQC) returned to Athens, landing at 9:20 pm local time, just under four hours from when it had departed. Note how it avoided land for the entire journey back and was escorted by fighter jets.
#ek209 Emirates Flight EK209 pic.twitter.com/RkVGV9dJ7K
— Fragolevantinos (@fragolevantinos) November 10, 2022
One passenger was ordered to remain seated onboard when the plane landed in Athens.
#ek209 Emirates Flight EK209 suspect remains seated and not allowed to leave the plane pic.twitter.com/zXJZXHTPLG
— Fragolevantinos (@fragolevantinos) November 10, 2022
Emirates delayed the departure of EK209 for roughly 24 hours. The flight has since departed.
In an incident that may have been linked, EK210, traveling from Athens to Dubai (DXB), pushed back at 5:55 pm only to return to the gate due to a “technical issue” (according to the captain). All passengers were asked to disembark and were then carefully searched.
It is isn’t clear what any of this is about, although Greek media reports that the CIA identified an “Arab” passenger of interest. The Associated Press merely reports that the request was made by U.S. authorities.
Live and Let’s Fly reached out to Emirates for a statement on both EK209 and EK210 and received the following response:
“Emirates can confirm flight EK210 from Athens to Dubai on 10 November returned to stand before take-off, and flight EK209 from Athens to Newark on 10 November also made an unscheduled return to Athens, due to security checks requested by the authorities. Passengers on flight EK209 have been rebooked to travel on 11 November and provided overnight accommodation. Emirates apologises for the inconvenience caused.”
Ultimately, we are left with many questions that likely will not be answered. But to repeat, earlier reports of a hijacking onboard EK209 are not true.
People should be curious if the EK passenger denied travel as a result of a reported CIA alert sent to US DHS had any contraband weapons/explosives/incendiaries on person or in the luggage. If not, they should be curious if this was about the US being unhappy that the passenger wasn’t as cooperative with the CIA as the CIA sometimes wants some people to be.
There was some mention that the suspect passenger is a Turkish national with Greek residency who came into ATH from DXB.
No reports of searches of the relevant flight passengers and stuff showing prohibited weapons, explosives or incendiaries. Since there are no new novel security rules/restrictions being put in place suddenly, it could well be that the security alert had less to do with the risk of a hijacking and/or weapons use against the flight than that the suspected passenger was deemed a problem in other ways and thus they wanted to return him to Greece and/or the UAE. The UAE is pretty notorious with its torture methods.
The system of these name checks is a bit wonky. I know it can’t be perfect but many of these “incidents” are people with similar or same names that get placed on the “watch list.” I have a German friend who had to go through the entire redress system in the U.S. with interviews etc as his name matched someone else on the terrorist list. He kept getting pulled off of flights on arrival to the U.S. and taken in for questioning. Once he was actually not even permitted to board a flight from FRA-MIA. Now he has to add his redress number to all bookings…even years later. Oddly he is Bavarian and has about the most German sounding name you could ever have!
Safety first and foremost. I don’t always agree with our government, but when they have concerns about a passenger, it’s worth the delay to get it right. It’s not PC to say, but the reality is so many of these foreigners still hate America, are jealous of our life and are willing to die to harm us.
Surely the whole point of all the information people from outside the Land of the Free are required to submit in advance of travelling there is to avoid a situation like this occuring? I hope the US government are footing the bill for this Emirates diversion.