Pictured: The Emirates co-pilot who helped passengers escape as father of firefighter who died in blaze pays tribute to his hero son

  • The Boeing 777 jet crash landed at Dubai International Airport following a flight from Trivandrum Airport in India
  • Dramatic footage shows Emirates passenger jet exploding into a fireball on the runway after emergency landing 
  • Airline says that all 282 passengers and 18 crew were evacuated safely and none suffered serious injuries 
  • However Emirates confirmed a firefighter who was trying to tackle the flames when the plane exploded died  
  • Terrified passengers 'told by pilot moments before landing that there was a problem with the landing gear'
  • There were 24 Britons, six Americans, two Australians and four Irish among those on board flight EK521
  • All flights to the Dubai terminal have since been diverted while all take-offs and landings have been suspended

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Pictures have emerged of a co-pilot who helped passengers off a stricken Emirates plane after it crash-landed at Dubai airport with 300 on board.

Australian Jeremy Webb was the First Officer on board the Boeing 777 flight which smashed into the runway at Dubai International Airport before exploding into a giant fireball.

Today his friends and relatives told of their relief and how they felt 'very blessed' after Mr Webb helped all 300 on board survive the terrifying crash yesterday.

It comes as the father of a firefighter killed trying to tackle the fierce blaze paid tribute to his 'hero' son.

Jasim Issa Mohammed Hassan's father Issa said of the 27-year-old:  'My eldest son died as a hero while saving the lives of the plane passengers; he is a martyr, and he will be missed greatly.' 

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Australian Jeremy Webb was the First Officer on board the Boeing 777 flight which smashed into the runway at Dubai International Airport before exploding into a giant fireball

Australian Jeremy Webb was the First Officer on board the Boeing 777 flight which smashed into the runway at Dubai International Airport before exploding into a giant fireball

Hero firefighter Jasim Issa Mohammed Hassan died while trying to put out the flames and another 10 people were taken to hospital with moderate injuries

Hero firefighter Jasim Issa Mohammed Hassan died while trying to put out the flames and another 10 people were taken to hospital with moderate injuries

Terrified passengers can be seen scrambling to escape an Emirates jet that crash-landed at Dubai International Airport, as the cabin of the plane filled with smoke

Terrified passengers can be seen scrambling to escape an Emirates jet that crash-landed at Dubai International Airport, as the cabin of the plane filled with smoke

As cabin crew forced open the emergency exit doors, panicked passengers can be seen trying to grab their luggage before leaping from the plane

As cabin crew forced open the emergency exit doors, panicked passengers can be seen trying to grab their luggage before leaping from the plane

Miraculously all 300 people on board were able to escape and flee to safety across the runway as the plane exploded
Miraculously all 300 people on board were able to escape and flee to safety across the runway as the plane exploded

 Miraculously all 300 people on board were able to escape and flee to safety across the runway as the plane exploded

Camera footage captured by a passenger as she fled the crashed plane shows the engine on fire, before it exploded as passengers fled across the runway

Camera footage captured by a passenger as she fled the crashed plane shows the engine on fire, before it exploded as passengers fled across the runway

Passengers can be seen scrambling to collect their luggage from overhead lockers despite the smoke filling the cabin after the dramatic crash-landing

Passengers can be seen scrambling to collect their luggage from overhead lockers despite the smoke filling the cabin after the dramatic crash-landing

The mother continued filming and she and her family escaped using the inflatable emergency slides, and she caught a glimpse of the flaming engine before it exploded

The mother continued filming and she and her family escaped using the inflatable emergency slides, and she caught a glimpse of the flaming engine before it exploded

Last night, shocking footage emerged from inside the cabin of an Emirates jet seconds before it exploded.

Screams of terrified passengers can be heard as the cabin crew forced open the emergency exit doors, desperately trying to get all 300 people on board out safely.

But travellers can be seen scrambling to collect their luggage as the cabin fills with smoke, with oxygen masks dangling from the ceiling.   

As the woman holding the camera guides her children to the emergency exit, where passengers were throwing themselves down inflatable slides, a voice can be heard shouting for her to 'jump, jump, jump'.

She continues filming throughout her dramatic escape, and as she flees the wreckage the camera captures a glimpse of the flaming engine.

Minutes later, as passengers fled the destroyed plane, it exploded into a fireball that claimed the life of hero firefighter Jasim Issa Mohammed Hassan.

It emerged that pilots tried to abort the landing moments before the jet crashed, telling air traffic controllers they wanted to 'go around'.

Controllers at Dubai International had had to remind pilots on the Boeing 777 to lower the landing gear as it came into land, according to the respected Aviation Herald, which monitors air accidents. 

Footage from the latest video shows the plane's wing bent at an alarming angle above the flaming engine as the belly of the plane appears to be in contact with the runway itself - strongly suggesting that the crash was due to a fault in the landing gear. 

Another witness, Ibrahim Thomas from Thiruvananthapuram, was sitting in the front row window seat of the flight and said he was lucky to make it out alive.

'I was sitting in the front row window seat. I saw the right side engine caught fire and then it was in the cabin. In another five minutes the emergency doors were opened by the crew,' he told MailOnline in a phone interview.

When asked if he thought he would die, he replied: 'Yes, yes, yes.'   

Hundreds of passengers miraculously escaped with their lives this morning when their Emirates jet crash-landed at Dubai airport and exploded 

Hundreds of passengers miraculously escaped with their lives this morning when their Emirates jet crash-landed at Dubai airport and exploded 

All 300 on board, including 24 Britons and 18 crew, were led to safety at Dubai International Airport, minutes before the Boeing 777 was completely destroyed in a massive fireball

All 300 on board, including 24 Britons and 18 crew, were led to safety at Dubai International Airport, minutes before the Boeing 777 was completely destroyed in a massive fireball

Emergency: An Emirates passenger jet carrying 282 passengers has crash landed at Dubai Airport before bursting into flames

Emergency: An Emirates passenger jet carrying 282 passengers has crash landed at Dubai Airport before bursting into flames

Dramatic footage shows the aircraft exploding in a fireball on the runway, with the force of the blast throwing a huge metal panel from the plane into the air

Dramatic footage shows the aircraft exploding in a fireball on the runway, with the force of the blast throwing a huge metal panel from the plane into the air

Emirates said the flight departed at 10.19am from Trivandrum International Airport and was scheduled to land at 12.50pm at Dubai International Airport

Emirates said the flight departed at 10.19am from Trivandrum International Airport and was scheduled to land at 12.50pm at Dubai International Airport

Photographs of the incident showed a plane lying crumpled on its belly on the tarmac with black smoke pouring from its upper section
Photographs of the incident showed a plane lying crumpled on its belly on the tarmac with black smoke pouring from its upper section

Photographs of the incident showed a plane lying crumpled on its belly on the tarmac with black smoke pouring from its upper section

Emirates airlines Boeing 777-300 A6-EMW plane flight number EK521 from Trivandrum to Dubai lays on the ground in Dubai airport after being gutted by fire

Emirates airlines Boeing 777-300 A6-EMW plane flight number EK521 from Trivandrum to Dubai lays on the ground in Dubai airport after being gutted by fire

Other witnesses said they saw smoke coming from the plane before it touched down at the world's busiest airport while one expert has suggested the extreme 50C weather today may have been a factor in the crash and there were reports of powerful gusts of wind at the time.   

All of those on board, including 24 Britons and six Americans, were led to safety at Dubai International Airport, minutes before the Boeing 777 was completely destroyed in a massive fireball. 

As well as the death of firefighter Jasim Issa Mohammed Hassan, another 10 people were taken to hospital with moderate injuries. 

People were screaming and we had a very hard landing. As we were leaving on the runway we could see the whole plane catch fire - it was horrifying
Passenger, Sharon Maryam Sharji

Dramatic footage emerged of the passengers and crew fleeing for their lives down a runway just minutes before the Emirates jet exploded after crash-landing at Dubai Airport.

Video shows them sprinting to the safety of a hangar as thick black smoke billows up from the stricken aircraft, which had flown from Trivandrum International Airport in India.  

Incredibly, all on board, including the 18 crew, escaped through emergency exits as the cabin filled with smoke and were able to sprint to safety moments before the plane exploded into flames.  

Passengers have revealed how the flight came down suddenly before bouncing upwards on landing. 

One told Asianet: 'In no time the cabin was filled with smoke. There was no announcement. The emergency door was forced open. Many of us now feel we have breathing problems because of the smoke.'

Photographs of the incident showed a plane lying crumpled on its belly on the tarmac with black smoke pouring from its upper section while more video shows passengers running to safety at the terminal having been evacuated.

The captain is believed to have sent out and emergency signal in the moments before the plane was preparing to land.

A pilot who witnessed flight EK521 landing told NDTV the plane came in 'really hard' and hit the 'runway tail'. A passenger on another plane said she could see emergency chutes deployed. 

Footage taken from a building near the runway showed the moment the plane exploded into flames at Dubai International Airport
Footage taken from a building near the runway showed the moment the plane exploded into flames at Dubai International Airport

Footage taken from a building near the runway showed the moment the plane exploded into flames at Dubai International Airport

The Dubai government's official media office said on Twitter that all passengers were 'evacuated safely and no injuries have been reported so far'

The Dubai government's official media office said on Twitter that all passengers were 'evacuated safely and no injuries have been reported so far'

Safety experts said it was too early to pinpoint any cause for the crash. Investigators will scour the wreckage and interview pilots, controllers and witnesses for clues to any technical malfunctions, human error or weather-related problems. 

All flights to the Dubai terminal were diverted while emergency crews worked at the scene. All take-offs and landings were suspended until 3.30pm UK time.

Passengers evacuated from the plane said that minutes before the flight crash-landed at Dubai airport, the pilot made an announcement that he needed to make an emergency landing amid problems with the landing gear.

Cabin crew then opened all the emergency exits of the plane and all 300 passengers and crew on board the aircraft were evacuated 'within minutes of the landing'. 

Pictures show smoke coming from the plane on a runway at the airport. All flights to the Dubai terminal have been diverted while emergency crews work at the scene

Pictures show smoke coming from the plane on a runway at the airport. All flights to the Dubai terminal have been diverted while emergency crews work at the scene

Controllers at Dubai had reminded the crew of the Boeing 777 to lower the landing gear as it came into approach

The Boeing 777 aircraft, departed at 10.19am from Trivandrum International Airport and was scheduled to land at 12.50pm at Dubai International Airport

The Boeing 777 aircraft, departed at 10.19am from Trivandrum International Airport and was scheduled to land at 12.50pm at Dubai International Airport

'It was actually really terrifying. As we were landing there was smoke coming out in the cabin,' passenger Sharon Maryam Sharji said. 

'People were screaming and we had a very hard landing. We left by going down the emergency slides and as we were leaving on the runway we could see the whole plane catch fire; it was horrifying.'

Shaji Kochikutty, who was flying with his wife and three daughters, told Xpress: 'It was a near disaster. God is great. He saved my family and we are grateful to be alive. What more can we ask for?'

'They [the crew] opened all emergency exits and guided us out. I first sent my three daughters. My wife went next but hurt her knee while jumping out. I bruised my feet as I ran without my shoes.   

'We were promptly given first aid and we are all fine now.

'I think we have lost all other belongings [except our passports]. They would have been completely burnt. But that's not important. We can always replenish these things. But a life lost can never be replaced.'  

Dubai resident Girisankal Gangadhakan said his wife called him after the plane landed to tell him that she and their three children onboard had been involved in an accident but were safe.

'I was shocked when I heard about that,' he said. 

EMIRATES FLIGHT WAS CARRYING PASSENGERS AND CREW FROM 20 COUNTRIES

The Emirates plane that crashed down at Dubai International Airport before exploding into flames was carrying 24 Britons, it has emerged.

Emirates has revealed that six Americans, four Irish passengers and two Australians were also on board the stricken flight.

The Emirates plane that crashed down at Dubai International Airport before exploding into flames was carrying 24 Britons, it has emerged

The Emirates plane that crashed down at Dubai International Airport before exploding into flames was carrying 24 Britons, it has emerged

There were also 226 Indian passengers, 11 from the UAE, six from Saudi Arabia and five from Turkey.

A passenger list reveals there were also nationals from Brazil, Germany, Malaysia, Thailand, Croatia, Egypt and Bosnia & Herzegovina. 

There was one passenger each from Lebanon, the Philippines, South Africa, Switzerland and Tunisia.

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Jerin George, from New York, told the Mirror the jet's engine 'blew' when the plane hit the ground - and how the aircraft went 'boom' seconds after passengers had jumped down safety chutes.

He said: 'We noticed something wasn't right when the landing started taking place.

'The engine blew away right after landing. As soon as everyone got out, the plane blew up. We are all safe and sound inside the airport now. Thank God for saving our life from a tragic incident.'

T.P. Seetharam, the Indian ambassador to the UAE, says Indian diplomats have been dispatched to the airport and had met directly with many passengers. He says many are in shock, and that only one person - a crew member - had been taken to the hospital for treatment.

Chris Galusha landed at Dubai Airport just 25 minutes before the plane crash landed, which has caused four to five hours of delays.

'The board is slowly updating major delays. Cannot see anything from terminal at this time,' he tweeted MailOnline, alongside a picture of the departure screen showing all flights as delayed.

'Airport is quiet right now. Calm before storm before people deplane,' he tweeted. 

In one video posted online a woman with a British accent can be heard gasping as she watched from the terminal.

'Are there people in that plane? Oh my god, the smoke's getting darker,' she says.  

Thick black smoke could be seen rising over Dubai International Airport after an Emirates plane reportedly crashed at around 12.45pm local time

Thick black smoke could be seen rising over Dubai International Airport after an Emirates plane reportedly crashed at around 12.45pm local time

Dubai International is by far the Middle East's busiest airport, and is the world's busiest air hub in terms of international passenger traffic

Dubai International is by far the Middle East's busiest airport, and is the world's busiest air hub in terms of international passenger traffic

 A pilot who witnessed flight EK521 landing said the plane came in 'really hard' and hit the 'runway tail' before coming to a halt

 A pilot who witnessed flight EK521 landing said the plane came in 'really hard' and hit the 'runway tail' before coming to a halt

According to air traffic control recordings cited by Aviation Herald, a respected independent website specialising in information on air accidents, controllers at Dubai had reminded the crew of the Boeing 777 to lower the landing gear as it came into approach.

Shortly afterwards, the crew announced they were aborting the landing to 'go around,' a routine procedure for which pilots are well trained, but the aircraft came to rest near the end of the runway instead, Aviation Herald reported.

There was no immediate confirmation on whether the landing gear was extended when the aircraft touched the ground.

Eye-witnesses described seeing plumes of smoke coming from the jet moments before it crashed down.

Emirates said in a statement: 'Emirates can confirm that today, August 3 2016, flight EK521 travelling from Trivandrum International Airport in Thiruvananthapuram, India to Dubai has been involved in an accident at Dubai International Airport. There were 282 passengers and 18 crew on board.

'The Boeing 777 aircraft, departed at 10.19am from Trivandrum International Airport and was scheduled to land at 12.50pm at Dubai International Airport.

'We can confirm that there are no fatalities among our passengers and crew. All passengers and crew are accounted for and safe.

'We are expecting a four-hour network wide delay, more information will be available on the Emirates website and social media channels.'

DID EXTREME 50C WEATHER CONDITIONS CAUSE EMIRATES JET TO CRASH?

Hot weather could have played a part in the crash of an Emirates airliner, an aviation expert has suggested.

Early indications suggested the plane, a Boeing 777, was not at fault and other factors would have been involved, according to expert David Learmount.

'The images tell us nothing except the aircraft eventually caught fire, but it certainly doesn't tell us why it did,' he said.

'It was an incredibly hot day, it was very nearly 50 degrees.

'If you get a damaged wing and fuel comes out of it, it vaporises in temperatures like that and vapour is highly inflammable.'

He said temperature was 'very likely' to have been a factor and the crash should not prompt concerns about the safety of the plane.

Hot weather could have played a part in the crash of an Emirates airliner, an aviation expert has suggested

Hot weather could have played a part in the crash of an Emirates airliner, an aviation expert has suggested

'There have been accidents where 777s have been very badly damaged during a landing and yet we haven't had a fire like that,' he said.

Mr Learmount said the crew acted in line with protocol by evacuating all passengers.

'If there is a fire or a risk of a fire, then the drill for every crew for every aeroplane flight in the world is to get the passengers off very fast, because if you don't it's a disaster,' he said.

'Did they do well? No, they did what they were paid for.'

The Boeing 777 departed Thiruvananthapuram at 10.19am and was scheduled to land at 12.50pm local time, according to Emirates.

Video posted online showed black smoke billowing from what appeared to be an Emirates jetliner, lying on its belly on the runway.

Meanwhile online weather reports before the crash reported Dubai was relatively windy, with dust blowing and 'wind shear' reported on all runways. Wind shear is a potentially hazardous condition involving sudden and unpredictable changes in wind direction or speed.

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The Dubai government's official media office said: 'All passengers were evacuated safely and no injuries have been reported so far.

'Concerned Authorities at Dubai International Airport are dealing with the incident at the moment to ensure safety of all.' 

Planemaker Boeing said in a statement it was monitoring the situation in Dubai and it would be working with Emirates to gather more information. 

Meanwhile, the pilot and crew have been roundly praised for landing the plane, with initial reports suggesting the pilot asked the airport for permission for a crash landing.

'Emirates pilot looks like he expertly landed the 777, and although there was a fire, still was time for pax [sic] to exit, get away,' Tweeted US-based journalist and aviation blogger Gerry Doyle.

And an Indian journalist for ABP news wrote: 'Passengers on board Emirates flight almost kiss & survive death..Pilot deserves all praises to have managed to save so many lives.'

Also praising the pilot from India, where the flight originated, was Bollywood star Pushkar Jog, who said: 'Emirates EK521 flight crashes after landing at d Dubai airport . Pilot saved 282 lives ..All passengers safe.' 

Dubai International is by far the Middle East's busiest airport, and is the world's busiest air hub in terms of international passenger traffic. 

Government-backed Emirates is the region's biggest carrier, and operates the world's largest airline fleet of the wide-body 777 long-haul aircraft. 

The Boeing aircraft involved in today's incident was delivered to Emirates in March 2003. The airline said both the captain and the first officer had over seven thousand hours of flying experience each. 

The crash is a blow to the Dubai carrier weeks after it was voted the world's top airline by Skytrax at the Farnborough Airshow, taking the crown from Gulf rival Qatar Airways.  

Severe delays: All take-offs and landings were been suspended but departures and arrivals have now resumed at the airport. Passengers are pictured queuing at the terminal

Severe delays: All take-offs and landings were been suspended but departures and arrivals have now resumed at the airport. Passengers are pictured queuing at the terminal

A passenger tweeted this picture as delays started to build up at Dubai International today

A passenger tweeted this picture as delays started to build up at Dubai International today

The incident also comes almost four months after a plane belonging to Dubai's other carrier, flydubai, crashed and burst into flames as it was landing in Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia, killing all 61 people onboard.

On July 26, an Emirates Boeing 777-300 aircraft heading to the Maldives made an emergency landing in Mumbai because of a 'technical fault'.

Dubai International is the world's largest hub in terms of international passengers, and is the base for Emirates, from where it serves more than 153 destinations.

Emirates, Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi's Etihad have seized a significant portion of transcontinental travel, capitalising on the geographic locations of their Gulf hubs.

Emirates is the largest single operator of the Boeing 777, as well as the Airbus A380 superjumbo, and has expanded its fleet to 250 aircraft last year.

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala, a popular beachside tourist destination. Many blue-collar migrant workers employed in the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf nations come from Kerala. 

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