Russian airliner sends distress signal over Dubai: what is known
An aircraft operated by the Russian airline Utair, flying from Dubai to Moscow, was forced to return to its departure airport due to a technical malfunction. The plane is currently burning off fuel ahead of landing.
According to flight-tracking services and media reports, the Boeing 767-224 transmitted the distress code “7700” shortly after taking off from Al Maktoum International Airport. For more than an hour, the aircraft remained in a holding area, making over ten loops over UAE territory to burn fuel before landing.
The “7700” code is an international emergency signal set on the transponder to alert air traffic control to any abnormal situation on board requiring priority attention. Despite the automatic recording of this signal by monitoring systems, representatives of Utair officially denied that a distress signal had been declared, confirming only the presence of a technical malfunction. The flight was scheduled to arrive at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport at 21:15, but the crew is currently focused on ensuring a safe landing at the departure airport.
Experts note that fuel dumping or burn-off is a standard procedure for aircraft of this type, as the maximum take-off weight significantly exceeds the permitted landing weight. Landing with full fuel tanks may damage the landing gear or the aircraft’s structure.
The situation with aircraft operated by Russian airlines in 2026 remains difficult due to limited access to certified maintenance and original spare parts from Boeing, which is increasingly leading to similar incidents on international routes.
In December alone, ten cases of aircraft engine failures were recorded in Russia within a single week. Problems occurred on both domestic and international flights, involving aircraft operated by Pobeda, Nordwind, Rossiya Airlines and others.
