Anthony Yates
A Condor Airlines plane suffered a malfunction while airborne over the weekend. Nobody was hurt, but passengers were scared, and one even admitted to writing “farewell” texts.
Videos by Rare
According to a report by CBS News, flight DE3665 left Corfu, Greece, on Saturday just after 8 PM. The aircraft was en route to Düsseldorf in Germany. However, passengers spotted flames near one of the plane’s engines just 30 minutes into the flight. Condor Airlines told CBS that there were 273 passengers on board and eight crew members. The airline reportedly could not confirm an engine fire, but they did say there was a “reaction near the engine that normally takes place in the engine’s combustion chamber, leading to a visible reaction at the rear of the engine.”
Ultimately, the Boeing 757 performed an emergency landing in Brindisi, Italy, according to WDR.
Terrifying footage of the plane’s malfunction was posted online by multiple people. TikTok user @corekvas uploaded a short video to her profile with the caption, “This just happened.”
Even though the plane is far away, the sputtering engine makes loud popping noises. Flames accompany each pop, and they appear to stop by the end of the clip.
Plane Passengers Had To Stay In Italy Overnight
A report by Frankfurter Rundschau explains that the plane landed safely despite the malfunction. One passenger reportedly said, “It was an incredibly bad experience. I have already sent a farewell SMS because I thought it was over now.”
Per WDR, Condor Airlines said there was no danger onboard at any time, blaming the “stab flames” on a combustion process outside the engine. The outlet reveals that some customers had a rough overnight stay in Italy, owing to the lack of free hotel beds. Some passengers slept in the airport, according to CBS. The airline reportedly arranged blankets and vouchers for those customers, and shops around the airport stayed open to accommodate them. Condor said they would reimburse passengers who paid for a night in a hotel.
The airline reportedly said in a statement, “We apologize for any inconvenience caused, but the safety of our passengers and employees is always our top priority.” Condor sent another plane to pick up the passengers in Brindisi on Sunday. They arrived in Düsseldorf the same day.
