An Atlas Air Boeing 747-8 cargo plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Miami International Airport after an engine malfunction shortly after takeoff. “The crew followed all standard procedures and safely returned to MIA,” Atlas Air said in a statement, adding that it would conduct an investigation to determine the cause of the incident, which occurred late Thursday.
Unverified videos on social media platform X showed flames shooting from the aircraft’s left wing while in flight. Reuters could not immediately confirm the videos’ authenticity. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 747-8, according to Flightaware data. The Boeing 747-8 is powered by four General Electric GEnx engines.
Boeing shares have fallen about 15% since the Alaska Airlines incident
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded, and there were no injuries, according to the airport. It was not immediately clear how many crew members were on board. Boeing declined to comment, and the FAA and General Electric did not respond to BreezyScroll’s requests for comments. Boeing has been embroiled in a crisis since January 5, when an Alaska Airlines MAX 9 airliner made an emergency landing after a portion of its fuselage broke off shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon.
The incident prompted the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground 171 aircraft for safety checks.
Boeing shares have fallen about 15% since the Alaska Airlines incident. The planemaker said goodbye to the iconic 747 early last year, delivering the final plane to Atlas Air and ushering in the end of an era when the first “jumbo jet” dominated the skies.