A Boeing plane carrying 468 people was forced to make an emergency landing in Indonesia after the engine suddenly caught fire just after takeoff.
The Garuda Indonesia jet was taking off from the Indonesian city of Makassar en route to Saudi Arabia — with many passengers heading on pilgrimage to Mecca — when the drama unfolded at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, the airline said.
Dramatic footage posted on social media apparently shows the Boeing 747-400 plane’s engine engulfed in flames right as its wheels were lifting off the runway.
The pilot immediately returned to the original airport, according to the airline.
“The decision was made by the pilot in command immediately after take-off, considering engine problems that required further examination after sparks of fire were observed in one of the engines,” Garuda president, Irfan Setiaputra, told Agence France-Presse.
There were 450 passengers and 18 crew onboard at the time — including pilgrims for the hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.
No injuries were reported, the airline said.
The plane has since been grounded as investigators probe the cause.
