Nearly 200 Ryanair passengers were forced to use the emergency slide to evacuate a plane today after it caught ablaze.
The Ryanair flight was about to take off at Brindisi Airport in Italy when flames erupted from the engine. Firefighters raced to the plane, which aborted its flight, and the 184 passengers were evacuated down the inflatable slide, reports the Mirror.
The airport in the south of the country has been forced to close due to the emergency. A spokesperson said: “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.”
Ryanair and British Airways are among several airlines which use the airport, which typically caters for more than three million passengers every year.
The Mirror contacted Ryanair for comment this morning. It is understood the Ryanair plane, flight FR8826, was due to leave Brindisi for Turin, a city in the northwest of Italy.
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter.