A JetBlue flight bound for Florida was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport on Wednesday after suffering an engine failure during takeoff, causing temporary disruption to air traffic.
The crew of flight 543 reported smoke in the cockpit shortly after departure. The Airbus A320 made an emergency landing and passengers and crew evacuated via slides on a taxiway. No injuries were reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it would investigate the incident, the cause of which remains unclear. The FAA temporarily paused some arrivals at Newark, with operations resuming shortly after 7.00pm ET, according to the Port Authority.
Flight tracking site FlightAware reported that 183 arriving flights (31%) and 177 departing flights (30%) were delayed at the airport. CBS and ABC reported a temporary halt to all flights while the JetBlue aircraft was removed from the runway.
JetBlue said in a statement: 'Safety is JetBlue’s top priority. We are focused on supporting our customers and crew members and will work closely with the appropriate federal authorities to investigate what occurred.'
