A United Airlines plane was forced to make an emergency landing after a rabbit got into one of its engines, causing a fire shortly after takeoff.
The incident occurred as flight UA 2325 took off from Denver Airport bound for Edmonton, Canada. Footage showed the moment an engine burst into flames shortly after takeoff.
Passengers panicked as they heard a “loud bang” and felt “strong vibrations.” According to one passenger, Scott Wolff, “there were constant explosions from the engine, and the fire started. People started to panic.”
However, the Boeing 737-800 managed to make an emergency landing safely on the runway just a few minutes after takeoff, writes A2 CNN.
After landing, the pilots requested an inspection for an engine fire, and were then informed that a rabbit had been sucked into the second engine. “A rabbit in the number two engine... that explains it,” the pilot was heard saying over the audio communications.
All 153 passengers and six crew members were transported to Edmonton on another plane.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident. According to the FAA, animal strikes are common, with over 20,000 cases reported last year alone in the US, but collisions with rabbits are very rare – only four have been recorded nationwide, including one in Denver.
(A2 Televizion)
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