AI plane engine catches fire, narrow escape for 229 people

An engine of a Riyadh-bound Air India plane with 229 people on board caught fire today while the aircraft was taxiing at the Mumbai airport, forcing it to abort take-off with the passengers being evacuated through emergency exit chutes.

All the 213 passengers and 16 crew members of AI-829 flight were safe as the blaze was put out immediately, Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) officials said even as Air India de-rostered an aircraft maintenance engineer, pending investigation.

As the Boeing 747-400 'Konark' aircraft was taxiing on the runway for takeoff at around 1050 hrs, the fire below the left wing of the 16-year-old leased aircraft was noticed by a passenger through the window, who reported it to cabin crew.

The pilot then immediately aborted the flight and the airport was put on an alert. The emergency drill was activated, officials said.

Fire tenders rushed to douse the fire that was visible from airport terminal, eyewitnesses said. Black smoke billowed out from the plane's engine as the people were evacuated through emergency exit chutes and taken to safety.

"The blaze was extinguished soon after," an Air India spokesperson said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken up investigation into the incident and is looking into suspected fuel leak from the wings, which may have caused the fire in one of the four engines of the aircraft.