What happened
On 4 December 2023, an Emirates Airbus A380-861, registration A6-EEV, was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Perth, Australia, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. While traversing the Male flight information region (FIR) in the Republic of Maldives, the aircraft encountered severe turbulence at approximately 21:05 UTC.
The sudden atmospheric disturbance caused significant movement within the cabin, resulting in 5 serious injuries and 23 minor injuries among the 490 occupants. The turbulence also caused physical damage to the aircraft's cabin interior. Following the event, the flight crew consulted with onboard medical professionals and the cabin supervisor before deciding to continue the flight to Dubai. A medical emergency was declared once the aircraft entered Dubai airspace.
The investigation
The UAE Air Accident Investigation Sector (AAIS) is leading the inquiry, with the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) providing an accredited representative. Investigators have recovered and analyzed data from both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the digital flight data recorder (DFDR).
The investigation is examining the meteorological conditions present during the flight, specifically noting that the flight segment over the Male FIR was forecast to contain Cumulable Nimbus (CB) cells capable of producing moderate to severe turbulence and icing. The team is also reviewing the flight crew's briefing processes, the use of the aircraft's weather radar, and the implementation of dispatch policies regarding hazardous weather.