An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 777, recently added to the fleet, declared an emergency during a routine flight from Addis Ababa to Dubai within the past hour.
What We Know So Far
The incident involved Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET612, a scheduled service between Addis Ababa and Dubai. The aircraft departed Bole International Airport at 11:21 PM local time, 30 minutes behind schedule.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft began an unexpected descent and executed a u-turn while squawking the 7700 emergency code. After spending just over an hour in the air, the flight landed safely at 12:29 AM local time.
A Newly Delivered Aircraft
The Boeing 777 involved in the emergency, registered as ET-BBG, was delivered to Ethiopian Airlines just days before the incident.
Data from Planespotters.net shows the aircraft is 4.9 years old and was originally intended for China Southern Airlines but remained in storage at Victorville, California, from March 2022 until December 2024.
On December 10-11, the aircraft was ferried to Addis Ababa and entered commercial service on December 12. The emergency occurred during only its second day of operation with Ethiopian Airlines.
Awaiting Further Updates
Details about the cause of the emergency are not yet available. Ethiopian Airlines and aviation authorities are expected to investigate the incident thoroughly.
This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as new information emerges.
