Engine of a tourist plane carrying 321 people in Thailand bursts into flames as tires explode on takeoff
- The engine of the Boeing 767-306ER suddenly caught fire in Phuket, Thailand
- On board the Russian tourist plane were 309 passengers and 12 crew members
An engine of a tourist plane carrying 321 people in Thailand burst into flames when its tires exploded on takeoff, causing the pilot to abruptly abort the departure.
In an emergency, 309 passengers and 12 crew members from a Russian tourist plane in Phuket, Thailand, were offloaded and forced to wait for a new plane.
Dramatic images and footage showed the Boeing 767-306ER being hit by sudden fire due to an “engine burst”.
There have been reports of a “loud bang” in the launch emergency.
The landing gear also burst into flames on the same right side of the plane as the plane aborted its departure, reports said.
The engine of a Russian tourist plane carrying 321 people in Phuket, Thailand, burst into flames when its tires exploded on takeoff
Passengers snapped shocking pictures and footage showing the Boeing 767-306ER being hit by sudden fire due to an “engine burst”.
Russian airlines are suspected to be compromising on safety and trying to operate aging planes without proper maintenance after severe Western sanctions over Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
This 26-year-old plane, operated by charter company Azur Air, was en route from Phuket International Airport to Moscow when it was struck by the drama.
The passengers on board included families of men hiding from Putin’s mobilization decree.
Some had left their men in Thailand – regarded by Russia as a “friendly” country – amid suspicions of a new round of conscription.
Other men returned to Russia after running out of money, despite fears they might be mobilized and sent to the front lines in a feared new forced recruitment drive.
The images and footage show the terrifying twin problems on the plane, which had a total of 321 on board.
“The airline’s technical specialists have already started to fix the disruptions,” the Russian airline said in a statement.
“Passengers on flight ZF-3604 will be provided with a hotel, hot meals and soft drinks while awaiting departure for Moscow.”
Russian vacationers faced delays after the Azur Air plane crashed
The head of Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Alexander Neradko, said: “I am confident that flying has not become more dangerous – and it has nothing to do with the presence or absence of original spare parts.”
Passengers were told they would now be flying on a replacement aircraft on Sunday.
“The vacation continues,” wrote one.
“Initially the start was normal,” said a passenger of the “Izvestia”.
“But then there was a wave and I heard crackling.
“When the passengers exited the plane, it was clear that the plane’s landing gear was damaged.”
According to one report, the plane had been about to take off at 120 mph when problems began to surface.
On Wednesday, a senior Russian aviation official said Western-made planes – which are currently not receiving normal service in Russian due to sanctions – can operate until 2030.
“I am confident that flying has not become more dangerous – and it has nothing to do with the presence or absence of original spare parts,” said Alexander Neradko, head of Russia’s Federal Aviation Agency.
He demanded that people stop calling “cannibalization” the way planes in Russia are kept flying by using spare parts from other planes.
“It came about at the request of people who have never worked in civil aviation and are unaware of the fact that the practice of swapping serviceable spare parts from jet to jet has always been widespread, even in Soviet times,” he claimed.