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It was a narrow escape for them

Dubai - Shaken to the core but grateful to be alive, a few passengers explained what took place.

A loud noise shook Flight EK521 just minutes before it was due to land at Dubai Airport on Wednesday afternoon. The plane then rattled and landed on its belly, sliding down the runaway for a few metres before it came to a stop.
Emergency exits and evacuation slides were opened up immediately as smoke started to fill the cabin, said a number of passengers, majority of who were travelling back to Dubai after holidaying in India.
There were tears of joy and warm hugs all around the airport from waiting family members as passengers started trickling out from the hangar at around 4pm where they had been housed since the incident took place at 12.45pm.
Given first aid and refreshments at the Dubai Airport clinic, several passengers were brought out on wheel chairs with their feet swathed in bandages.
Shaken to the core but grateful to be alive, a few passengers explained what took place.
"The crew shouted: Escape!" said Dr Shaji K. who along with his five-member family came out of the airport after three long hours.
"Our belongings are gone but that is not a problem. We are alive and the family is safe. We are happy," he told Khaleej Times.
The 46-year-old Dr Shaji from Kerala was travelling to Dubai on Emirates flight EK521 from Trivandrum with his wife and three daughters .
"Technically (we had) no idea what happened but while landing something abnormal took place on the runway. We saw smoke inside the aircraft and all the emergency doors were opened. I pulled my daughters and took my travel documents and slid down the slides. My wife has scrapes on the knee and she was attended to by the doctors and given medication," he said.
"The ground staff was amazing. Within seconds the ambulance took us away from the flights. The cabin crew panicked but the ground staff was calm and collected," he added. Several others were in a hurry to get back to their homes and refused to speak to the waiting media. Some, however, said they had lost all their important documents and belongings, but thankful they were alive.
It was a long and agonising wait for any news on the safety of their loved ones.
Riju who was waiting for hours at the airport for his brother, was on his way when he learnt that the plane had made an emergency landing. He said all through his long wait, he had been in touch with the brother only once. "All passengers had been evacuated and were asked to wait in a room near the hangar at the airport. No one knows what actually happened," he said.
Another person who did not want to be named was waiting for his wife. "They have been all evacuated she told me. They have all been given water and have been asked to wait."
No one has got any luggage, he added.
Dr. Girisankar Gangadharan of iCare clinic in Dubai said his wife and two children aged 13 and 6 years were on the plane.
"My wife called me and said the plane suddenly caught fire and the crew evacuated passengers through emergency exits. They then waited in a separate room."
He said his family was not hurt.
Mohan Nair was waiting for his daughter-in-law and friend and added that they were all okay. Rajaram Vaikuntam, Dubai resident for seven years, was waiting at the airport for his wife, Rohini Rajaram, and his two children aged 11- and 4-years-old. They were among the first to get off the plane as they were near the emergency exit.
"My wife called me and screamed 'fire' before the phone cut off. I parked the car and called back but there was no answer."
After getting through to his wife, Vaikuntam said the passengers were shifted to the hangar of the airport.
Shafeek PVS was waiting for his uncle. He said at 3pm, his family from India called saying they heard news about the plane incident in Dubai, and informed him it was the plane his uncle was travelling on.
"I rushed to the airport and I am waiting for him now (at 4.30pm). I have been informed all passengers are safe though." said PVS.
- With inputs from ?Sarakshi Rai and Kelly Clarke