The incident may have stemmed from a “possible bird strike”, Virgin Australia’s chief operating officer said.
Panic prevailed on a Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800 aircraft bound for Melbourne, Australia, when an engine fire broke out and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Invercargill, New Zealand, today Monday
There were 67 passengers and 6 crew members on the plane.
According to the Associated Press, the incident may have stemmed from a “possible bird strike,” the airline’s chief operating officer, Stuart Eggs, said in an emailed statement. The flames were noticed shortly after the aircraft took off from Queenstown Airport.
Terrified passengers on a flight from New Zealand to Australia have watched one of the engines on their Virgin Australia plane catch fire just seconds after take off. https://t.co/OF81oZXOfr #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/EoCBFLhQcT
— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) June 17, 2024
No further information about what happened at the time of the incident was released, said Kathryn Need, an airport spokeswoman.
“At this time, we are not aware of any injuries to passengers or crew,” Ags said.
Passengers will be accommodated in Invercargill overnight and continue their journey on new flights, he said.
Source :Skai
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