• [Daily Mirror Icon]
• News
• UK News
• Gatwick Airport

Flight declares mid-air emergency as fire erupts moments after Gatwick take-off

TAP Air Portugal TP1329, bound for Porto, was forced to turn back to London Gatwick Airport after a fire erupted on board - with smoke seen pouring out of an overhead luggage compartment

[plane]

View 3 Images

The plane declared an emergency after taking off from Gatwick(Image: Getty)

A plane was forced to make a U-turn back to Gatwick Airport just minutes after take-off due to a fire erupting on board.

Crew on TAP Air Portugal TP1329, bound for Porto, transmitted a Squawk 7700 - the international code for a general emergency - after detecting a "strong burning smell" and seeing smoke pouring out of an overhead luggage compartment.

Passengers disembarked the plane at Gatwick, where emergency responders were waiting on the ground to carry out a technical assessment on the plane. Portuguese air and safety investigators later revealed the blaze had been sparked by an e-cigarette.

The Lisbon-based Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Accidents in Civil Aviation and Rail said: "During the initial climb, before reaching 10,000ft, the cabin crew, who were in the rear of the aircraft, detected a strong burning smell and immediately informed the purser.

[Flight-tracking data shows the plane performed a loop before landing at Gatwick]

View 3 Images

Flight-tracking data shows the plane performed a loop before landing at Gatwick(Image: AirNav Radar)

"He instructed them to contact the cockpit and reinforced the cabin crew in the area of the event. During this period, twelve passengers stood up and blocked the aisle.

"A piece of hand luggage stowed in the overhead bin was found to be on fire, the cabin crew discharged a portable fire extinguisher and rapidly extinguished the flames, following which the smoke dissipated.

"The aircraft returned to London Gatwick Airport, after approximately 14 minutes of flight, for inspection. The firefighting team inspected the affected area, and the hand luggage was removed by firefighters for further investigation.

"The wellbeing of passengers and crew was confirmed, and a safety inspection was conducted before the flight to Porto. The cause of the fire was identified to be related to an electronic cigarette device that was inside the hand luggage."

[Investigators also published a photo of the luggage the e-cigarette had been left in]

View 3 Images

Investigators also published a photo of the luggage the e-cigarette had been left in(Image: GPIA)

Investigators also published a photo of the luggage the e-cigarette had been left in, showing the charred hole in its side that could have caused a disaster if it hadn't been for the quick-thinking of the crew on board.

The drama unfolded on February 8 but the results of a Portuguese investigation into the cause of the fire have only just been made public. It was not immediately clear how many passengers had been on board but the Airbus A320 jet can carry up to 180 people.

The flight eventually landed safely in Porto nearly three hours behind schedule after the plane was given the all-clear to head to Portugal.

[Daily Mirror Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.