BA jet makes emergency landing

2005-12-30 13:12

London - A British Airways flight headed for London was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after take-off from New York after sparks erupted in an engine, a spokesperson said on Friday.

It was the second impromptu landing for Britain's flagship flier this week.

The Boeing 747, bound for London's Heathrow Airport, took off from New York's John F Kennedy Airport just after 23:20 on Thursday, said the BA spokesperson.

Minutes later, "it experienced an engine surge in one of its four engines". she said.

"The captain immediately shut down that engine and the aircraft returned to the airport and it landed safely at 23:50," the spokeswoman said.

The engine surge caused sparks to come out of the affected engine.

Emergency services were on hand as the plane touched back down in New York, but were not required, said the spokesperson, speaking in London.

"The passengers disembarked normally," she said.

The plane had been carrying about 300 passengers. BA would try to put them on alternative flights on Friday.

Another BA Boeing aircraft flying from New York to London was forced to make an emergency landing at Cardiff Airport in Wales on Wednesday after a warning light indicated smoke at the rear of the plane, which had earlier been hit by birds.

- AFP