Düsseldorf: A Condor Airways flight carrying more than 270 passengers was forced into an emergency landing in Italy after one of its engines caught fire shortly after take-off from Corfu, Greece.
The Boeing 757-300, operating as flight DE3665 to Düsseldorf, landed safely in Brindisi with no injuries reported.
Several scary visuals of the incident surfaced on social media. Have a look:
Engine Failure Minutes After Take-Off
According to Greek outlet Phileleftheros, incident occurred on Saturday evening (August 16), shortly after the aircraft departed Corfu International Airport around 8:00 pm local time. At an altitude of approximately 1,500 feet, the right engine malfunctioned and burst into flames. Witnesses on the island reported hearing a deafening noise, described by some as sounding like an explosion, as the plane flew over the port area.
Video recordings captured by locals and tourists showed flames and sparks erupting from the aircraft. Pilots immediately deactivated the affected engine to prevent further damage, while Corfu airport placed its emergency response teams on red alert.
Diversion to Brindisi
Although initial expectations were that the aircraft would return to Corfu, the captain chose to continue flying on one engine, assuring authorities the plane remained stable. The Boeing climbed to around 8,000 feet before turning northwest and heading towards southern Italy.
The aircraft eventually landed safely at Brindisi Airport, where emergency services were on standby. Passengers, most of them German tourists, were accommodated in hotels overnight before being scheduled to continue their journey to Düsseldorf the following day.
Condor Airways issued a statement following the landing, which said, “We apologise for any inconvenience, but passenger safety is our top priority at any given time."
German broadcaster RTL also noted that the diversion was necessary as the aircraft could not complete the journey to Düsseldorf on a single engine.
