Emergency landing after fire on Gatwick jet
28.08.08
British holidaymakers 'screamed in panic' as fire erupted on a holiday jet bound for Gatwick Airport, the Sun reports. The Thomsonfly holiday flight had reached 3000ft after take-off when thick black smoke filled the cabin. The captain - heading for Gatwick with 189 passengers on board - was forced to return to Pula, Croatia, for an emergency landing, with fire engines lining the runway as the Boeing 737-800 touched down.
Mechanics identified the cause of the fire as an ‘installation error’ in the wiring of a microwave oven in the galley. Safety officers grounded the plane and passengers had to wait eight hours for another flight, but five passengers were so rattled they travelled home by train via Venice.
An airport source told the newspaper: ‘Some of the passengers were very badly shaken, but the pilot reacted very quickly.’
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