It continues a series of air traffic incidents in 2025
Passengers were forced to evacuate onto the wing of an American Airlines plane after the aircraft burst into flames in Colorado, USA.
The incident happened yesterday afternoon (13 March) at 17:15 local time (23:15) when the 737-800 jet was forced to divert to Denver airport after the crew reported “engine vibrations”.
The plane took off on a scheduled flight from Colorado Springs with Dallas Fort Worth as its destination, but never made it there.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said passengers used inflatable slides to reach the ground safely at Denver International Airport and will investigate the cause of the incident.
Astonishing footage of the incident showed dozens of passengers huddling on the wings of the burning aircraft as smoke bellowed out of the jet while on the tarmac.
Flames could be seen burning near the underside of the plane.
Videos show ground crew rushing to the aircraft wing with ladders.
There were no reports of serious injury, however 12 people were taken to hospital for minor injuries.
The plane caught fire only after it had touched down for an emergency landing.
American Airlines said the 737 aircraft had 172 passengers on board, including six crew members.
The airlines added that the plane suffered an “engine-related issue”.
The incident was visible from other gates at the airport, with many waiting passengers in the terminal filming the incident.
Denver airport spokesman, Michael Konopasek, said that the fire was doused and the incident did not lead to any delays for other flights.
This latest incident comes following a slew of notable air traffic incidents including a deadly crash in Washington DC that killed 67 people after an American Airlines regional jet collided mid-air with a US Army helicopter.
Much has been questioned about safety in the industry in North America with US President Donald Trump firing hundred of FAA probationary workers in cost-saving efforts.
Meanwhile the president has blamed diversity quotas for the incidents, to much controversy.
Globally, the last few months have been a tough for aviation, following fatal crashes in Azerbaijan and South Korea in December 2024, the crash in Washington this year, and the accident in Toronto last month, to name a few.
However, despite these incidents, many point to an increased level of press coverage as being the cause for a perceived drop in global aviation standards, despite continuing increases in air safety in recent years.
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