FIRE crews came upon an overcrowded Boeing jet after its pilot was forced to abort take-off and “slam the emergency brake”.
Passengers on Etihad Airways flight EY461 bound for Abu Dhabi feared the tires had burst after take-off was halted.
4
Fire engines were seen at the site Credit: Instagram
4
There were almost 300 passengers on the planeCredit: Instagram
4
The plane appears to have been sprayed with firefighting foamCredit: X/The Melbourne Snap
Footage posted on social media shows the plane on the runway surrounded by fire services.
Emergency responders deployed firefighting foam as a precaution.
It was initially believed that the plane’s landing gear caught fire and the wheels exploded.
A passenger who was reportedly on the plane told a friend who posted on Instagram that the plane “had to hit the emergency brakes” as it tried to take off.
They also said that “the landing gear reportedly caught fire.”
But an Etihad spokesperson told The Sun that was not the case.
They said: “Etihad Airways flight EY461 from Melbourne (MEL) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) experienced a rejected take-off on 5 January 2025. The flight crew decided to abort take-off due to technical reasons, the aircraft was safely brought to a stop on the runway and emergency services arrived as a precaution.
“The guests have been safely disembarked and our teams are working to enable them to continue their journey as soon as possible.
“Etihad Airways sincerely regrets any inconvenience caused. The safety and comfort of our guests and crew remains our highest priority.
“The fire department applied foam to the tires on the aircraft’s landing gear, a routine precaution following a rejected takeoff at high speed.”
Two top pilots die in horror plane crash after crashing into sea as witness reveals final moments and police launch probe
The emergency has reportedly led to major delays in departures and arrivals at Melbourne Airport.
A spokesperson for Melbourne Airport told The Sun: “Etihad Airways flight EY461 was denied take-off this evening on its way from Melbourne Airport to Abu Dhabi.
“The Air Rescue and Fire Service responded to the aircraft’s request and deployed firefighting foam as a precaution.
“Due to damage to the plane’s tires, we were unable to drag it off the runway.
“Repairs are currently underway. All passengers have disembarked from the aircraft and have been transported to the terminal by buses.
“We still have one runway available for operations, which will be used for all arrivals and departures. Disruption to other flights has been minimal.”
And in Australia, two top pilots died in a horror plane crash after plunging into the sea as a witness reveals their tragic final moments.
Mark White (67) and Simon Peutrill (69) died yesterday in the Sting S4.
The plane left Coffs Harbor in Australia at around 3.30pm and was bound for the South West Rocks – but did not arrive.
It lost control within 30 minutes of flight and crashed into the ocean.
One witness told 9 News he heard the plane before it crashed.
He said: “[I] heard the plane actually fly home, which was very low.
“I knew it was wrong considering we don’t have many planes here.
“The engine was revving very low – it sounded like it was struggling for power.”
What went wrong or how the two pilots lost control is being investigated.
White ran a flying school called Midcoast Microlights which operated out of Coffs Harbour.
Peutrill joined the school in 2022.
A second body was tragically found today in difficult conditions near Scott’s Head Beach, NSW Chief Inspector Stuart Campbell told media.
4
The plane left Coffs Harbor in Australia at around 3.30pm and was headed for the South West Rocks – but never arrived Credit: Nine
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education