On Friday, an airplane carrying numerous passengers from Scotland to New York’s JFK airport made an emergency landing when flames erupted from a wing. A video of the incident showed enormous sparks erupting off the plane and passengers screaming in the background.
According to passengers who contacted to the BBC, a huge blast was heard shortly after the plane took off from Edinburgh airport. Delta Airlines aircraft DAL209, intended for JFK, was swiftly diverted to Glasgow Prestwick airport, which is only 80 miles from the departure location.
After only about 40 minutes in the air, the jet was forced to make an emergency landing. The flight crew claimed that the jet was experiencing engine issues.
BBC News reported the following statement from BBC News journalist Laura Pettigrew, who was onboard the flight: “The plane took off and there was a loud engine noise, similar to the noise normally during take-off and landing, but it seemed to continue once we were in the air.”
Pettigrew also stated that the captain walked the length of the plane immediately before the crew informed the passengers of the emergency landing. “When the plane touched down we could see fire trucks and firefighters with hoses rushing towards us,” she said. The reporter noted that passengers appeared more confused than panicked, with the exception of families with children.
According to STV News, among the passengers were youngsters and teachers from a secondary school who were flying to the United States for a trip during the February break. The Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment.
