A United Airlines Boeing 777 was thrust into a heart-stopping emergency moments after takeoff from Miami International Airport on Thursday, when its starboard engine violently erupted in a ball of fire, forcing pilots to execute a dramatic turnback.
Shocking footage captured by ground observers shows the aircraft, flight UA111 bound for Frankfurt, climbing into the evening sky with its right engine ablaze, spewing a terrifying trail of orange flames and thick black smoke against the dusk horizon.
The cockpit crew issued a panicked mayday alert to air traffic control, reporting a catastrophic engine failure just minutes into the journey. "We've had a compressor stall and an engine fire indication," one of the pilots can be heard declaring in tense audio recordings, his voice strained with urgency.
Dramatic Emergency Landing
In a stunning display of airmanship, the pilots managed to circle the colossal wide-body jet over the Atlantic Ocean, dumping fuel to reduce its weight before attempting a perilous landing back at Miami.
Emergency services were placed on highest alert, with fire crews and ambulances scrambling to line the runway, preparing for the worst as the stricken aircraft made its final approach.
A Terrified Cabin
Onboard, 389 passengers were thrown into a state of sheer terror as the aircraft shuddered violently. "There was a huge bang, the whole plane shook, and we saw this incredible fireball outside the window," recounted one shaken passenger to reporters after the safe landing. "People were screaming, praying. We truly thought that was it."
Miraculously, the pilots touched down safely just over an hour after the nightmare began. The aircraft was immediately surrounded by emergency vehicles as it rolled to a stop on the tarmac, its damaged engine visibly charred and mangled.
Boeing's Mounting Crisis
This alarming incident piles yet more pressure on aerospace giant Boeing, which is already mired in a deep crisis of confidence following a series of catastrophic failures and manufacturing defects across its fleet, most notably the grounded 737 MAX.
Aviation regulators are now under immense pressure to launch an immediate and thorough investigation into the cause of the engine failure. This event will inevitably trigger fresh scrutiny over the safety protocols and maintenance records of one of the world's most widely used long-haul aircraft.
All passengers were safely evacuated via inflatable slides, with ten treated for minor injuries and shock. The subsequent investigation will focus on the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engine, a model with a previously troubled history.
