Plane graveling from Corfu, Greece to Düsseldorf, Germany, was forced to make a an emergency landing in Brindisi, Italy, after passengers noticed flames coming from the right wing of the aircraft just after 8pm, as per Bild.
At the time of the incident, the the Boeing 757 was carrying 273 passengers and eight crew members, and was flying at an altitude of 11,000 meters, according to WDR.
When the passengers became aware something was wrong, the plane was in the air for 40 minutes.
The flames caused complete shock inside the plane, with some passengers sending “goodbye texts” to their loved ones.
“We were already in the air when it suddenly started — you could hear this really loud rattling,” passenger Leah Steininger told the publication. “About 20 minutes later, we got the message that the gearbox had completely failed and that we’d be continuing the flight with just one.”
@melinamelinakiii Ακούσαμε απανωτές εκρήξεις και είδαμε την τουρμπίνα να παίρνει φωτια. Ήταν πολύ τρομακτικό. Ημασταν στο μπαλκόνι και το είδαμε όλο. Ελπίζω όλοι να είναι καλά.😐 #corfu #kerkira #corfuisland #corfugeeece #corfuplane #fire #plane ♬ πρωτότυπος ήχος – Μελίνα
Niklas Gelbhaar, who was also on board, recalled hearing loud bangs. “The passengers remained calm, and the pilot kept us updated throughout the flight,” he said.
According to the airline, passengers were never in real danger, and the incident was linked to a disruption in the engine’s airflow supply.
“The reason was a parameter indication outside the normal range caused by a disturbance in the air flow supply to the engine,” a statement by Condor Airlines said. “Due to the fault message, it was precautionarily decided to divert to Brindisi. The aircraft landed around 8.15pm at Brindisi Airport, and all guests disembarked the aircraft normally.” They added that what appeared as flames was actually a combustion process outside the engine. “It was not an engine fire, but rather a chemical reaction that normally takes place inside the combustion chamber—only this time, because of disrupted airflow, it became visible on the outside.”
Some of the passengers stuck in Italy had nowhere to stay before catching another plane.
“Unfortunately, there was insufficient hotel capacity in Brindisi, meaning that not all guests could be accommodated in hotels,” the airline explained.
“Additional vouchers and blankets were organized at the airport, and a few shops were allowed to remain open to provide supplies. Passengers who took advantage of alternative accommodation options can submit their expenses for reimbursement.”
Following the incident, the aircraft has undergone technical checks on site.
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