US Boeing cargo plane's engine catches fire mid-air
A Boeing 747-8 cargo plane operated by Atlas Air experienced an engine malfunction, forcing it to make an emergency landing at Miami International Airport in United States shortly after takeoff. Viral videos showed flames shooting from the aircraft's left wing during the flight. In a statement, Atlas Air said: "The crew followed all standard procedures and safely returned to MIA." Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said that there were no injuries. The number of crew members onboard during the incident remains unknown.
Cargo company to inspect cause of incident
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 747-8, Flightaware data showed. Boeing's 747-8 is powered by four General Electric GEnx engines. Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration and General Electric are yet to release an official statement. The cargo company said that it would conduct an inspection to determine the cause of the incident.
Video of the purported accident
Incident follows recent Alaska Airlines MAX 9 airliner emergency landing
This engine issue adds to Boeing's ongoing troubles, as an Alaska Airlines MAX 9 airliner was also forced to make an emergency landing earlier this month. The plane's fuselage partially broke off after departing from Oregon, prompting the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to temporarily ground 171 aircraft for safety inspections.
