The Pulkovo Airport in Russia. ARCHIVE

Smoke detected onboard an Emirates flight from St. Petersburg to Dubai forced the plane to return to its gate, according to reports. The incident, which caused a five-hour delay, happened on Friday night (June 30) on flight EK176 as it was due to depart from Pulkovo Airport in Russia. Local fire services were called to inspect the issue. "As a precaution, all passengers and crew were disembarked while the aircraft was attended by local authorities and fire services,” an Emirates spokesperson said. Emirates did not say what caused the smoke. The flight, a Boeing 777, landed safely at Dubai International Airport at 11:30am on Saturday. ICA/Expat Media
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