This is the moment terrified passengers were forced to jump from a plane’s emergency exit after flames began shooting from the Boeing jet’s engine just before takeoff.
The Boeing 737-500 plane, bound for Wamena city, caught fire at Sentani Airport in Jayapura, Papua province, Indonesia on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of its 121 passengers.
Gruesome footage shows smoke pouring from the plane’s engine, while another clip captured the moment petrified passengers were forced to stand on the plane’s wing as they waited for their turn to disembark.
People on board the plane were also seen sliding down an inflatable emergency slide as screams and sirens sounded in the background.
One passenger reportedly noticed the fire and panicked, prompting him to open the emergency door while shouting at other travelers.
Passengers were forced to jump from a plane’s emergency exit after flames began shooting from the Boeing plane’s engine just before takeoff
The Boeing 737-500 aircraft, bound for Wamena city, caught fire at Sentani Airport in Jayapura, Papua province, Indonesia on Tuesday
The incident led to the cancellation of the flight, as well as other delays
Dozens of startled airmen followed suit and made their way to the exit.
The flight was reportedly canceled and two others were delayed due to the fire.
Airport security chief Iptu Wajedi said: “When the exhaust fumes first come into contact, sometimes a fire breaks out.
“Seeing this, the passengers were shocked and tried to escape the fire.
“So everyone left the plane in fear.
The photo shows people escaping from a plane via an emergency slide after a passenger saw smoke coming from the plane’s engine
“All passengers were able to get off the plane and are now in the waiting room.”
He added: ‘We are trying to identify the passenger who first said the plane was on fire.’
Airport spokesperson Surya Eka said: “The Trigana Air aircraft with flight code IL237, a Boeing 737-500 from Sentani Airport in Jayapura to Wamena, was canceled because a passenger suddenly opened the emergency door when he saw fire coming from the aircraft’s engine. ‘
He said “four passengers were injured” by the pushing and shoving to get out of the plane.
The injured travelers were treated at the Health Quarantine Center.
Eka added: “The incident prevented the plane, which was supposed to be carrying 121 passengers to Wamena, from taking off.”
He said they are currently waiting for the National Transportation Safety Committee to conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire.
It comes after a tire on a Boeing 737 plane exploded as pilots prepared to take off from Tampa International Airport in July.
Video of the attempted takeoff shows how a layer of gray smoke filled the air after the tire sparked, spewing rubber fragments across the runway.
There were 174 passengers and six crew members aboard the flight to Phoenix, an American Airlines spokesman said. No one was injured in the incident.
The smoking engine is just the latest in a series of alarming problems plaguing the troubled Boeing plane.