24 May 2013

Travel delays at Heathrow after emergency landing

An aeroplane is forced to make an emergency landing at Heathrow after an engine fire.

Heathrow said that all 75 passengers and crew had been safely evacuated from the plane following the incident, amid speculation that the aircraft had run into a flock of birds.

Television pictures showed smoke billowing from the stricken aircraft while it was airborne.

It is believed the flight was BA762 involving an Airbus A319 aircraft. BA762 was scheduled to take off from Heathrow to Oslo at 7.55am today.

Passengers on resumed flights at Heathrow were being warned to expect delays of 30-60 minutes, as well as 30 minutes of aircraft taxiing time.

Both runways at Heathrow airport were closed and a full investigation is to be launched.

A BA statement said: “BA762, Heathrow to Oslo service, returned back to Heathrow shortly after take-off due to a technical fault. The Airbus A319 aircraft was carrying 75 customers.

“The aircraft landed safely and emergency slides were deployed and we are currently caring for our customers. Emergency services attended the aircraft. We will be carrying out a full investigation into the incident.”

‘Engine on fire’

Eyewitnesses described seeing smoke billowing from the plane, with the right engine on fire.

Clive Cook, who lives on the Heathrow flight path, told Sky News: “The actual engine itself was on fire.

“This plane was coming over and suddenly the tone of the engine changed dramatically, and I could almost say it sounded as if it was like a blowout, or an explosion.

“I’m absolutely certain that as it came through the clouds, and I looked up… the right engine was on fire. It wasn’t smoking, it was actually on fire.”

Mr Cook said he saw the plane over the Thames at Battersea as he was taking his daughter to nursery.

‘Almighty noise’

Another eyewitness, named only as Jamie, was working in his garden near to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, when he saw the plane.

He told Sky News: “All of a sudden we heard this almighty noise. It was like a fire jet going over. We could just see the right engine on fire – it was absolutely horrendous to see.

“You don’t see things like that every day, it’s incredible really.

“Your thoughts are with the people – if we could hear it that badly then what were the people going through on that plane?”

He said he thought the plane was just a few thousand feet above the ground and added: “It was below the clouds at this stage. To see an aircraft on fire – it wasn’t good to watch.”