CHENNAI: An Emirates Airlines flight that departed from Chennai to Dubai early on Monday returned to the Chennai International Airport after reports of a drone attack near an oil facility in Dubai and the temporary closure of airspace.

The aircraft had arrived in Chennai from Dubai at 2.15 am with 242 passengers. After boarding around 200 passengers, the flight departed again for Dubai in the early hours.

However, while flying over the Gujarat maritime region, the pilot reportedly received information that missile attacks had occurred again in Dubai and that the airspace had been temporarily closed.

Following this alert, the Emirates flight turned back and landed safely at Chennai airport around 8.20 am. Passengers are currently being kept inside the aircraft.

Meanwhile, flights operated by Etihad and IndiGo scheduled to depart for Abu Dhabi later in the day have also been cancelled, airport sources said.