Video shows Atlas Air’s Boeing cargo plane spewing flames in the sky before making an emergency landing at Miami International Airport late Thursday.
The plane suffered an engine malfunction which led to the fire, according to Reuters. The Boeing 747-8 had five crew members on board at the time of the mid-air emergency. Social media footage seemed to show flames shooting from the left wing of the aircraft while it was in flight. The fireball in the sky continued to trail behind the plane as it continued on its flight path. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating the matter, according to Reuters.
“It’s on fire!” Boeing 747 cargo jet catches fire shortly after taking off from Miami International Airport. The pilots safely returned the plane to the airport. pic.twitter.com/vKjeP6X69f
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) January 19, 2024
Social media quickly erupted with footage of the airplane ablaze in the sky. The videos posted online show the plane continuing to travel while various parts of the aircraft were covered in flames that were visible from the ground.
There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident.
“The crew followed all standard procedures and safely returned to MIA,” the air freight company said, according to Reuters.
They noted there would be a full inspection and investigation into the matter to ensure the cause of the engine failure and subsequent fire could be determined.(RELATED: Crack Found On Cockpit Window Forces Boeing 737 To Return To Airport In Japan)
The aircraft in question is reported to be an eight-year-old plane. The 747-8 is powered by General Electric GEnx engines, according to Boeing’s website.
Passengers from the Boeing 737 Max 9 plane say that they thought “we were going to die” after a door plug flew off of the Alaska Airlines jet at 16,000 feet last Friday. https://t.co/fg3ga85ymC
— ABC News (@ABC) January 14, 2024