Passengers of an Air China flight experienced a harrowing ordeal when one of the aircraft’s engines caught fire upon landing in Singapore.
The incident prompted a three-hour closure of Changi Airport on Sunday.
Videos on social media showed passengers swiftly evacuating the aircraft via emergency slides.
Dark smoke was also seen blowing up from the still-flaming engine. Images revealed a cabin shrouded in smoke, creating a tense atmosphere.
According to CNN, the plane landed at approximately 4:15 pm local time.
Singapore's Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that all 146 passengers and nine crew members were successfully evacuated.
Unfortunately, nine passengers suffered minor injuries, primarily related to smoke inhalation and abrasions during the evacuation.
Prompt action led to extinguishing the fire within 10 minutes.
Changi Airport reported the presence of smoke in the front cargo hold and a lavatory, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Air China disclosed in a Weibo statement that flight CA403, en route from Chengdu Tianfu Airport in China to Singapore Changi Airport, encountered cabin smoke prior to landing.
Initial investigations by the carrier pointed to a mechanical engine failure as the cause of the fire. Further probing is presently underway.
Last year March, a China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 flight, carrying 132 individuals, tragically claimed no survivors after crashing en route from Kunming to Guangzhou.
