- A Delta Airlines flight en route from Edinburgh to JFK had to make an emergency landing after an engine surge led to flames coming from underneath the wing
- The Boeing 767 took off at 10:50am but just 30 minutes later, an emergency was declared, and by 11:30am the plane had landed at Glasgow Airport
- A passenger captured footage of the flames streaming from the back of the wing
A Delta Airlines flight from Edinburgh bound for JFK was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off after flames were spotted shooting out from underneath from the wing.
Flight 209 departed at 10:50am bound for New York from Scotland, but an emergency was declared within half an hour of the Boeing 767 taking off and by 11:30am the plane was back on the ground at nearby Glasgow Airport.
Footage shot by one of the passengers shows a stream of flames coming from the rear of the wing in what appears to be an engine surge.
Anxious passengers could be heard speaking in the background, while some were in tears.
Some travellers feared for their lives as the crew made preparations for an emergency landing.
A Delta Airlines flight en route from Edinburgh to JFK had to make an emergency landing after an engine surge led to flames coming from underneath the wing
The flames appeared to be coming from the engine having suffered an ‘engine surge’
‘An announcement was made that we were heading to Glasgow Prestwick. The noise then cut to nothing like the engines had gone. At this point there was an eerie silence then gasps,’ Julie Nisbet told STV.
‘We saw the captain walk up and down the flight and thought this could be serious.
‘It felt like it was gliding at one point when the engines cut. I didn’t think we’d get down safely. When we did, we clapped and cheered and whistled. I’m just happy to tell the tale.’
A reporter for BBC Scotland also happened to be on the plane and gave her account of what happened.
‘The plane took off and there was a loud engine noise, similar to the noise normally during take-off and landing, but it seemed to continue once we were in the air,’ BBC News journalist Laura Pettigrew who was on the flight, explained.
‘The captain walked up the length of the plane and then there was a Tannoy announcement – although no-one could hear it.
‘When the plane touched down we could see fire trucks and firefighters with hoses rushing towards us,’ Pettigrew said.
‘We were told to leave all our belongings and get off as quickly as we could. There was no real panic among passengers, more just confusion. However some families with kids were pretty distressed.’
The Boeing 767 took off at 10:50am but just 30 minutes later, an emergency was declared, and by 11:30 AM the plane had landed at Glasgow Airport
‘The pilots seemed to do a smooth job of getting us down safely. Apparently the cabin crew were preparing for a crash landing.’
Four fire engines met the aircraft which Delta has described as a ‘mechanical fault’.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service also released a statement: ‘We were requested at 11.23am on Friday, February 10, to assist our fire service partners at Prestwick Airport.
‘Operations Control mobilised four appliances to the site, where firefighters remain working to support their partners.’
The airline also released a statement following the incident: ‘Delta flight 209 from Edinburgh to New York-JFK safely diverted to Prestwick, Glasgow after a mechanical issue with the aircraft.
‘We apologise to our customers for this inconvenience and are working to get them to their final destination as quickly as possible.’
Four fire engines met the aircraft which Delta has described as a ‘mechanical fault’ (file photo)