Passengers evacuate onto wing of burning American Airlines jet
Mar 15, 2025
Washington DC [US], March 15: Passengers on an American Airlines flight were evacuated onto the tarmac of a Colorado airport as a fire broke out on the plane, sending smoke billowing into the air.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
Footage of the evacuation showed passengers huddled on the wing of the Boeing airliner, some holding bags, with flames burning near the bottom of the plane.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said passengers used inflatable slides to reach the ground safely at the Denver International Airport. The agency said it would investigate the cause of the incident.
The flight took off from nearby Colorado Springs and was on the way to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, the FAA said in a statement to the BBC.
The plane diverted to Denver around 17:15 pm local time (23:15 GMT) after the crew reported "engine vibrations," the FAA said.
After the flight landed, it caught fire while taxiing on the tarmac at the airport.
American Airlines said the plane had 172 passengers on board, along with six crew members. All were evacuated safely, the company said.
It said the plane was a Boeing 737-800 and experienced an "engine-related issue".
Smoke and flames were visible from various gates at the airport, according to airport spokesman Michael Konopasek. He said the fire was doused and it did not lead to delays for other flights.
The incident comes after a recent string of high-profile accidents in North America have raised concerns about aviation safety.
A fatal crash in Washington DC left 67 people dead when an American Airlines regional jet collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter. The crash in the US capital city led to questions about air traffic controller shortages and their workloads.
US President Donald Trump's administration has also terminated hundreds of FAA probationary workers as part of government cost-saving efforts.
The layoffs happened weeks after the fatal DC crash.
The laid off FAA employees included maintenance mechanics, environmental compliance workers and technical assistants.
Trump has pushed to reduce government spending with tech billionaire Elon Musk spearheading efforts as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
