Terrifying footage shows flames erupting from the side of the Condor Boeing 757-300 plane – one passenger on board has said she ‘thought it was over’ when she saw what was happening
A shaken airline passenger has said she “thought it was over” when a her plane home from holiday started spitting flames.
Those on board the Condor Airlines flight from Corfu in Greece to Dusseldorf, Germany, on Saturday said they started sending ‘last messages’ to loved ones out of fear after they heard a ‘loud noise’ from inside the Boeing 757-300 plane shortly after take-off, before a spluttering fire stated coming from the right side of the aircraft.
Footage shows the flame visible on the outside of the plane at a height of around 1,500ft, an issue which Condor Airlines said was caused by a “disturbance in air flow supply to the engine”. The pilot made an emergency landing in Brindisi, Italy around 40 minutes after leaving Greece.
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One woman on board the plane was travelling with her young daughter when the drama began.
She told German newspaper Bild: “I sent goodbye messages thinking it was over. It was a horrible experience.”
Describing how an audible bang came before the fire appeared, another said: “Suddenly, we heard a loud noise, then flames shot out of the engine. It was very scary”. A different passenger described hearing “a loud clicking noise” inside the plane.
Passengers were sent to nearby hotels after the emergency landing, but some were forced to overnight at the airport due to lack of available beds.
The airline said it provided blankets and meal coupons to those affected. All passengers were able to catch another Condor Airlines on to Dusseldorf the next day.
A spokesperson told the Mirror: “Flight DE3665 from Corfu (CFU) to Dusseldorf (DUS) diverted to Brindisi (BDS) on 16 August 2025.
“The reason was a parameter indication outside the normal range caused by a disturbance in the air flow supply to the engine. Due to the fault message, it was precautionarily decided to divert to Brindisi.
“This posed no danger to the guests or crew members at any time. The aircraft landed around 8:15 p.m. at Brindisi Airport, and all 273 guests as well as the eight crew members disembarked the aircraft normally. Another Condor aircraft was dispatched to carry all guests to Dusseldorf on August 17th, 2025.
“Unfortunately, there was insufficient hotel capacity in Brindisi, meaning that not all guests could be accommodated in hotels. Additional vouchers and blankets were organised at the airport, and a few shops were allowed to remain open to provide supplies. Passengers who took advantage of alternative accommodation options can submit their expenses for reimbursement.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused, but the safety of our passengers and employees is always our top priority.”