Plane fire confirmed after YouTube video
Published: Mar 17, 2011 23:58 Updated: Mar 17, 2011 23:58
JEDDAH: A Saudi Arabian Airlines flight carrying 128 passengers to Riyadh from Dammam was grounded last week after black smoke was seen billowing from the aircraft, causing panic at King Fahd International Airport (KFIA) in the Eastern Province city. No injuries were reported.
Civil Defense teams and local security agencies were sent immediately to the airport’s runway to contain the situation.
Khaled Al-Mezel, director general of KFIA, said: “Our department has dealt with the incident and took all measures to contain the situation.”
Al-Mezel commended the Saudia pilot’s decision to abort takeoff, saying it saved those on the flight.
“All the flight’s passengers were evacuated safely and transferred to the airport’s passenger terminal, where they were sent to their destination on another plane,” said Al-Mezel.
A passenger aboard the flight recorded the fire as it happened and posted the video on YouTube.
The clip featured the airplane on the runway seconds before takeoff. Just seconds after the plane was charging the runway, there was mass panic inside the airplane as people noticed the fire.
One of the passengers was seen hitting his chair and screaming for the airplane to stop. There were other passengers trying to defuse the situation by urging people to sit down and not panic.
The clip also showed someone reciting a prayer. At the end of the clip, a flight attendant was heard talking through an internal microphone, asking all passengers to calm down and return to their seats.
Comments
SALI
Mar 19, 2011 00:18
Report abuseDo you expect your readers to go and search for the video on youtube?
ABU RYAN
Mar 19, 2011 00:20
Report abuseEXPAT
Mar 19, 2011 01:36
Report abuseALEXANDER B. SMITH
Mar 19, 2011 12:23
Report abuseANOTHER EXPAT
Mar 19, 2011 12:54
Report abuse