The shocking moment one of the plane’s engines was seen shooting out flames was captured on camera by one onlooker as many other stunned bystanders watched on from below
A stunned holiday maker captured the dramatic moment a plane engine shot out flames just seconds after take-off.
Tourist Niklas Leonhardt, 20, from Leipzig, Germany, caught the shocking moment as a passenger jet roared in the skies above, just after it took off from the runway in Corfu. Footage showed bursts of fire coming from the aircraft as it climbed into the air when it began making loud bangs.
The fire flashed from the right-hand engine as startled onlookers watched from the ground below. “We were renting a car from a place near the end of the runway, so we could see the plane taking off,” Niklas said.
“I started to film because during take-off I could see the engine was shooting out flames.” He continued: “People were pretty confused and the police started to clear the area behind the runway. We don’t know what could’ve happened.”
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The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at Aktion Airport in Preveza about 45 minutes away. The jet had been bound for Brno in the Czech Republic on August 28, and had just lifted into the air when it started making the loud noises.
The Mirror has contacted Czech airline Smartwings, which operated the flight, for comment.
It comes after there was a loud explosion as a plane took off from an airport in Sweden last week. The Norwegian flight bound for Paris left Stockholm’s Arlanda airport, in Sweden, and needed to circle the city in preparation for an emergency landing following the blast.
Debris was found on the runway as the plane circled the airport. The bang happened while there were 181 passengers on board the plane. It was later determined the plane would return to Arlanda due to a “technical problem,” a Norwegian press officer said.
The press officer added: “The plane took off as planned. But when it was in the air the pilot needed to turn around and go back to Arlanda due to technical problems.
The press officers added the pilot was preparing to make a hard landing. “I understand it can feel unnerving, but the landing went off without any drama,” the press officer added.