Emirates A380 quarantined in New York after passengers became ill

View
of the emergency vehicles outside of the Emirates
jet.

Twitter/Larry
Cohen

• Emirates Airline Flight EK203 is in
  quarantine at New York’s JFK International Airport after a
  number of passengers reportedly fell ill on board.
• Initial reports indicated that up to 100 passengers had
  become ill, but Emirates told Business Insider that the actual
  number is around 10.
• EK203 landed at New York’s JFK International Airport
  just after 9:00 am Wednesday following a 14-hour flight from
  Dubai. 

Emirates Airline Flight EK203 is in quarantine at New York’s JFK
International Airport after a number of passengers reportedly
fell ill on board, ABC News reported.

Even though initial reports indicated up to 100 passengers had
taken ill during the flight, Emirates confirmed that the actual
number is”about 10.”

“Emirates can confirm that about 10 passengers on board
flight EK203 from Dubai to New York were taken ill,” a spokesman
for the Dubai-based airline told Business Insider in a statement.
“On arrival at JFK, as a precaution, they were immediately
checked by local health authorities and those needing medical
attention will be attended to.”

“All other passengers will be disembarking shortly. The
safety and care of our customers is always our first priority and
will not be compromised,” the Emirates spokesman added.

It is unclear what caused the passengers to fall
ill.

The Airbus A380 Superjumbo landed
in New York at 9:18 am on Wednesday after a 14-hour trip from
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Pictures posted on social
media by passengers show the plane at a remote stand
surrounded by an armada of ambulances and emergency response
vehicles. According to Reuters, there are about 500 passengers on
board. 

Officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as
well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are on the
scene, the publication reported.

According to passenger Larry Cohen, those on board
the flight were required to fill out a CDC health form and had
their temperatures taken before they were allowed to deplane.

The CDC and the Port Authority were not immediately available for
comment.