A Condor Air flight had to make an emergency landing in Italy after the engines caught fire shortly after takeoff.
The Boeing 757 was en route from Corfu, Greece, to Düsseldorf, carrying 273 passengers and eight crew members.
Passengers aboard flight DE3665 noticed flames coming from the plane’s right wing just after 8 PM local time. Reports noted the alarming situation as it unfolded.
The plane landed safely at Brindisi Airport in southern Italy at around 8:15 PM, just 40 minutes after takeoff.
An airline representative explained that the issue stemmed from a chemical reaction that occurred within the combustion chamber.
One passenger shared that the power briefly went out, which was a startling moment, leading them to realize the plane had stopped climbing.
Another recalled, “It was an incredibly terrifying experience. I thought ‘It’s over now’ and I even sent a goodbye text.” This kind of fear is truly palpable, isn’t it?
The aircraft is currently under technical inspection.
Unverified videos have been circulating online, showing the engine’s flames flickering intermittently during the incident. Some bystanders in Italy reported hearing loud noises from the jet.
After the emergency landing, passengers were either housed in hotels or spent the night at the airport until another flight could take them to Germany the next morning.
The airline confirmed that some passengers could not be accommodated in hotels due to limited availability in Brindisi. They added that various arrangements, like vouchers and blankets, were made for those at the airport.
Fortunately, the airline reassured everyone that no one on the flight was at risk.
They explained that the malfunction was connected to abnormal air supply parameters affecting the engine, prompting the pilot to divert the aircraft to Brindisi.
Condor Airlines dispatched another plane to transport the passengers to Düsseldorf on August 17th. They issued an apology for the inconvenience, emphasizing that safety is always their top priority.
