Nearly 200 Ryanair passengers faced an evacuation down the plane’s emergency slide after ferocious flames emerged from an engine.
The Brindisi Airport in Italy witnessed the panic as the Ryanair flight, ready for take-off, saw a fireball come out from one of its engines. Firefighters swiftly intervened, allowing for the safe escape of all 184 passengers on board.
Authorities have since closed the airport after the incident on Thursday. An official statement read: “Aeroporti di Puglia announces that due to a problem with a departing aircraft, it was necessary to close the Salento Airport in Brindisi.
“The problem, which occurred when the aircraft was already aligned at the head for take-off, required the evacuation of passengers via emergency slides.
“All operations were carried out with maximum safety for passengers and crew. The passengers are already at the airport where they are being assisted by Aeroporti di Puglia personnel.
“The company’s technicians are working on the interventions within their competence and necessary so that Aeroporti di Puglia can proceed with the subsequent checks on the usability of the runway and proceed with the reopening of the airport.”
Remarkably, it has been confirmed that there were no serious injuries resulting from the incident.
A spokesperson for Ryanair commented: “Flight FR8826 from Brindisi to Turin (3rd Oct) was delayed this morning after cabin crew observed fumes on the outside of the aircraft.
“Passengers were disembarked without incident and returned to the terminal by bus. We sincerely apologise to affected passengers for this delay, and a spare aircraft will operate Flight FR8826 from Brindisi to Turin later this morning.”
Ryanair, along with British Airways, is listed among the carriers operating out of the airport, annually serving upwards of three million flyers.
It follows a recent episode where a Ryanair jet suffered a dramatic landing mishap at Bergamo’s Orio al Serio Airport near Milan when all four tyres on the plane exploded upon touchdown.
Operations at the airport were temporarily put on hold after the shocking incident. Witnesses onboard another plane said their pilot blamed the tyre failure on a bad landing, though this has not been confirmed by the airline or airport.