A Ryanair flight experienced an emergency when nearly 200 passengers were forced to evacuate after the cabin filled up with smoke.
The incident occurred on Sunday when a Buzz Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft was preparing to takeoff from the Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. Buzz is a Poland-based partner of low-budget carrier Ryanair.
The flight FR4626, which was bound for Krakow, a Polish city, experienced indications of smoke in the cabin when the pilots fired up the engines. Around 189 passengers were quickly evacuated using the plane's emergency slides. The alarm was raised soon after the flight departed from the gate, leading to a large-scale emergency response.
Emergency services, police, and airport authorities coordinated the evacuation and investigation. While all passengers were safely evacuated, concerns remained about potential property risks due to the smoke.
Using thermal imaging technology, it was detected that the smoke was caused by increased heat within the aircraft, according to various reports in the media. One of the key focuses of the responders now remains on ensuring the safety of passengers and property at Arlanda Airport.
A video of the incident was posted on social media platform X. It showed how a chaotic scene unfolded as the passengers were swiftly made to exit the aircraft through inflatable emergency slides installed at the plane's doors.
It also showed that the plane was soon surrounded by a number of emergency vehicles on the snowy runway as first responders and airport employees helped passengers evacuate. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.
In another part of the video, the cabin appears smoky as the panicked passengers grab for their belongings and queue up to escape the aircraft.
Ryanair/Buzz 737 MAX evacuated at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport after smoke filled the cabin while starting the engines. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/k1pQs6mz4x
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) December 10, 2023
It is understood that as the cabin slowly filled with smoke, passengers had to loudly ask the flight crew members to open the cabin doors and allow them to exit.
In a statement, a Ryanair spokesperson said Buzz engineers were examining the aircraft and that a replacement plane had been sent to Arlanda to get passengers to their original destination.
"A Buzz aircraft this morning (10 Dec) in Arlanda reported fumes in the cabin. As a precaution, passengers were evacuated and returned to the terminal. We apologise sincerely to affected passengers for this delay which we are doing everything to minimize.
"Refreshment vouchers have been issued to passengers in Arlanda," the Ryanair spokesperson added.
It was earlier reported that a Ryanair flight heading from London to Morocco was forced to make an emergency landing in Portugal after the pilot "fell ill". After taking off from London Gatwick, the flight was diverted to Faro Airport in southern Portugal's Algarve region, triggering a red alert.
