Footage shared on social media platform X shows what appears to be an Atlas Air Boeing 747-8 with flames shooting out one of its four engines shortly after takeoff.
NEW INFO: FAA says “post flight inspection revealed a SOFTBALL SIZE HOLE above the #2 engine” of Atlas Air Boeing 747-8 cargo flight that suffered an engine fire over Miami late Thursday.
Successful emergency landing, great work by the crew!
Video from Melanie Adaros. pic.twitter.com/5Nu9LpwwIq
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) January 19, 2024
An Atlas Air spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that the aircraft had encountered an engine malfunction:
“The crew followed all standard procedures and safely returned to [Miami International Airport].”
According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, the Boeing 747-8, powered by four General Electric GEnx engines, took off from MIA on Thursday night, around 2232 ET, and was headed to Puerto Rico when it was diverted.
Boeing has been under intense scrutiny after an incident earlier this month where an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9’s door ripped off during a flight over Portland, Oregon. Then, days ago, a 737 could not fly US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and staffers back from Davos after a mechanical issue was found.
