A giant Boeing 747-8 aircraft caught fire a mid-air shortly after departing from Miami International Airport. Chilling videos circulating on social media show sparks shooting out from the tail of the Atlas Air jet, which suffered engine failure on Thursday night. The person recording the footage can be heard swearing in shock as flames lit up the night sky.
According to Flightaware data, the cargo plane, valued at over $400 million, took off from Miami airport at 10:32 pm. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing just minutes later, at 10:46 pm. Luckily it was a cargo plane and no lives were impacted but an investigation is ongoing.
From the Clutches of Death
Atlas Air issued a statement confirming that the aircraft returned safely to the airport and that there were no reported injuries. "The crew followed all standard procedures and safely returned to MIA," the company said in a statement.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded, and there were no reported injuries, Miami International Airport said in a separate statement. The aircraft continued its planned journey to San Juan, Puerto Rico, later in the evening.
The Instagram user from the Miami area who shared the video of the plane on fire said that she contacted Miami Dade County Emergency upon noticing the unfolding incident.
Officials thanked her for the timely alert and assured her that the plane safely returned to Miami International with no injuries reported.
According to Flightaware data, the plane flew on from Puerto Rico to Bogota, Colombia, in the early hours of Friday without any further incident.
This aviation incident is the latest involving Boeing, the beleaguered aircraft manufacturer.
Earlier this week, Boeing announced its plans to enhance quality inspections of its 737 Max 9 aircraft following the incident of an emergency exit door panel failure on an Alaska Airlines flight.
Boeing's reputation as the leading American aircraft manufacturer has suffered due to a string of manufacturing flaws. These issues have prompted certain airlines to delay aircraft purchases or opt for its European competitor, Airbus.
Boeing in Rough Waters
Federal regulators have grounded the 737 Max fleet until safety checks on the door plugs of each plane in service in the US are completed. Boeing's shares have plummeted by over a fifth since the door blowout incident.
The company's market cap has also tumbled by nearly $30 billion, reaching $123.74 billion since the January 5 incident.
Additionally, last Sunday, two Boeing planes, a Boeing 777 from All Nippon Airways and a Boeing 717 from Delta Air Lines, clipped wings while taxiing at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
There were no reported injuries, and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the incident. "Customers deplaned normally at the gate and the aircraft is being evaluated by Delta´s maintenance technicians," Delta said in a statement.
In January 2023, Atlas Air received delivery of Boeing's last 747-8 as the company decided to discontinue the brand. As the primary operator of freighter 747s, the airline holds a prominent position in the industry.
