A Boeing passenger jet’s engine caught fire and prompted a dramatic emergency landing just moments after it took off from Corfu.
Terrifying footage of the incident on the DE3665 flight to Dussledorf, carrying 273 passengers and eight crew, saw the plane’s engine burst into flames as it took to the skies on Saturday.
Just moments after lift-off, at 1,500ft, orange bursts of light were seen sparking and flickering from the jet’s right engine.
The Boeing was still flying over the Corfu port at the time.
Many of those recording from the ground reportedly heard a ‘deafening sound, seemingly like an explosion’ coming from the aircraft during the incident.
The flashing continued for several seconds before it suddenly stopped.
After a few moments, the plane veered to the right and turned back on itself to become parallel to the take off and landing runway at Corfu Airport – which had been placed on red alert at the time.
However, the pilots decided that this would no longer be necessary as they assumed they could continue the flight with a single engine.
Terrifying footage of the incident on the DE3665 flight to Dussledorf, carrying 273 passengers and eight crew, saw the plane’s engine burst into flames as it took to the skies on Saturday
Just moments after lift-off, at 1,500ft, orange bursts of light were seen sparking and flickering from the jet’s right engine
After a few moments, the plane veered to the right and turned back on itself to become parallel to the take off and landing runway at Corfu Airport
The aircraft then moved at an altitude of eight thousand feet and landed at Brindisi airport, Italy, across from Corfu.
According to German network RTL, the pilots were forced to change course to Brindisi as the engine malfunction did not allow them to carry through the flight to Dusseldorf.
‘We apologise for any inconvenience, but passenger safety is our top priority at any given time’, Condor airways said in a statement.
The passengers and crew on board spent the night in a hotel and were expected to depart for their destination later today.
It comes after a plane skidded down the runway to make an emergency landing at Birmingham Airport on August 6 forcing all flights to remain grounded for hours.
The small aircraft, a Beech B200 Super King Air plane, had been headed for Belfast before it was forced to make an impromptu landing on the city runway at 1.40pm.
An observer, who wished to remain anonymous, filmed the plane – forced to descend without fully extending its landing gear – as it made the emergency stop.
Corfu Airport had been placed on red alert at the time, when the plane turned back on itself
The aircraft then moved at an altitude of eight thousand feet and landed at Brindisi airport, Italy, across from Corfu
He said: ‘It took off from Birmingham, and as it was flying over Tamworth, it declared an emergency.
‘The plane turned around to come back to Birmingham – when it came to land, it went for a go-around [an aborted landing]. I saw all its landing gears out.’
The person who filmed the footage said the plane then attempted a ‘long’ go-around – which means the plane wasn’t able to land because it hadn’t been given clearance, so it stayed in the air.
Three people received medical attention after the emergency landing, but just one person was treated for minor injuries.
