Pilot dumps fuel into the sea: plane with passengers bursts into flames after takeoff
The flames reportedly spread quickly through the engine, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing at Fiumicino Airport in Italy.
A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner en route from Rome's Fiumicino Airport in Italy to Shenzhen in China made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire. Video footage posted online shows the damaged plane gradually descending.
The Hainan Airlines flight took off at 9.55am local time on Sunday, November 10, with 249 passengers and 16 crew members on board.
The flames reportedly spread quickly through the engine, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing at Fiumicino Airport, before dumping fuel over the sea.
The Italian coast guard said the fire started when a bird flew into the Boeing's engine. Experts say it is a common occurrence that could pose a significant risk to flight safety.
The details of the incident are still under investigation, but airport officials say the emergency has not caused any delays to other flights at Fiumicino Airport.
