- Flight from Bengaluru to Kochi took horrifying turn just minutes into the journey
This is the terrifying moment a packed Air India plane was forced to make an emergency landing after its engine burst into flames with 179 people on board.
Passengers on the flight from Bengaluru to Kochi on Saturday night were left horrified after part of the aircraft caught fire just minutes into the journey.
Miraculously, no one was injured in the incident which saw a ‘full emergency’ declared by traffic control staff and the plane forced to make a dramatic landing.
The blaze was eventually put out around 20 minutes after it began with travellers left visibly shocked following the heart-stopping episode.
Now shocking footage has emerged of the nightmarish flight, which had already been delayed on the runway for more than an hour before it finally made it into the air.
The clip, filmed from one of the passenger seats on the right hand side of the aircraft, shows an orange glow out the window as the engine on the wing catches fire.
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As the plane descends to make the emergency landing the fire continues to glow and people can be heard murmuring in the background.
Once the aircraft is back on the runway passengers are told to remain seated by a public address system as the blaze appears to get brighter.
Staff can then be heard shouting, ‘please be seated – everything is under control’ suggesting that some customers have lost patience and attempted to make for the exits.
With the commotion increasing in the background, the flames can be seen more clearly still through the window as smoke billows in every direction.
One staff member continues shouting, ‘please be seated’, and adds, ‘we are waiting for the captain’s instructions’.
What appears to water can then be seen splashing against the window as the fire dies down.
Later, the video, taken now from outside the plane on the runway, shows emergency services rushing towards the aircraft with lots of shouting in the background as the commotion continues.
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Around 179 passengers, as well as six members of staff, were on the flight which took off at around 10.50pm on Saturday having been scheduled to depart at 9.45pm.
The fire was eventually extinguished at 11.12pm after the airport’s fire engines attended the scene.
It is thought that stunned passengers had to point out the blaze to cabin crew.
One woman said: ‘Everyone became terrified and let out loud cries.
‘[Cabin crew] exercised great responsibility. They helped us get out. In a single minute, they used every effort to save us. They have our gratitude.’
Another elderly woman revealed that as soon as they noticed the fire, there was a lot of screaming inside the plane, and the crew showed utmost patience to calm the passengers on board.
An Air India Express spokesman said: ‘Due to suspected flames from the right engine after take off, the Bengaluru- Kochi flight elected to return and carried out a precautionary landing at Bengaluru.
‘The ground services also reported flames, resulting in an evacuation. The crew accomplished an evacuation with no injuries to any guests.
‘We regret the inconvenience this has caused and are working to provide alternative arrangements for our guests to reach their destination as soon as possible.’
