Dubai Airport Closed by Plane Mishap; Re-opens
Pakistan Times Wire Service

DUBAI: Dubai airport reopened after being forced to close for more than seven hours on Monday when a Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft had an accident during takeoff, officials said.

Fourteen of the 236 passengers and crew were slightly injured in the 6.30 a.m. (02:30 GMT) accident at the Middle East's busiest airport, officials said.

An earlier report had said that an apparent mechanical failure damaged the nose of a Bangladeshi airliner during takeoff Monday, leaving 14 passengers injured and closing Dubai International Airport, airport officials and passengers said.

Bangladesh Airlines Flight 006 was accelerating down the runway to take off at 6:30 a.m. when a malfunction occurred that caused its nose to drop to the runway, airport officials said. A tire appeared to burst on the plane, two airport officials said.

The takeoff was aborted and the airport ordered closed with the plane left on the runway, officials said.

The plane's 236 passengers and crew were quickly evacuated and the injured passengers were taken to a hospital, the officials said. All injuries were said to be minor. The plane was traveling to the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.●