Ryanair plane in emergency landing in Belgium

29 April 2004

BRUSSELS – A plane belonging to cut-price airline Ryanair was forced to turn around and make an emergency landing at Belgium’s Charleroi airport shortly after taking off on Thursday, a passenger has confirmed.

The plane left Charleroi with around 120 people on board but was forced to turn around and land at the south Belgian airport around 10 to 15 minutes later apparently because of a mechanical failure on board, said the passenger, a journalist with French TV station FR3.

The plane landed safely and passengers were evacuated using emergency slides.

As they got off of the aircraft one of its tyres appeared to be burning, the witness said.

The French journalist said that as the plane took off, one of his colleagues had heard a “big noise on the right-hand engine side.”

He added that the passengers obeyed emergency instructions from the crew as the plane came into land, including leaning forward with their heads on their knees.

“There was no panic on board,” the journalist said.

No comment was immediately available from airport authorities.

Subject: Belgian news