Terrified passengers kept on Singapore Airlines plane as crews extinguished flames
Krystal Johnson and AFP - Yahoo and Agencies on June 29, 2016, 5:36 am
[video=youtube;DLXg5N67ZYs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLXg5N67ZYs[/video]
Video Plane catches fire after emergency landing in Singapore
Passengers have described what it was like being inside the Singapore Airlines plane that was completely engulfed in flames.
The Boeing 777-300ER was en route for Milan with 222 passengers and 19 crew onboard.
Almost two hours into the flight, Flight SQ368 turned back due to an engine oil warning message.
Passengers on board inside Singapore Airlines flight SQ368 saw flames engulf the plane's right wing. Photo: Asian News Channel
Passengers are seen waiting nervously on board the plane that was in flames. Photo: Facebook/Lee Bee Yee
Once the plane landed at Changi airport the right engine erupted into a fireball.
Australian passenger Norm Douglas posted footage of the to social media showing the plane's right wing completely engulfed in flames.
In the video, flames shoot through the air and plumes of smoke billowed from the aircraft as firefighters battle the fire with foam as terrified passengers waited on board.
The wing was left blackened and melted after the fire was extinguished.
Photo: Facebook
Photo: Facebook
One passenger told 7 News of the terrifying moment flames shot down the side of the plane.
“All of a sudden there were flames down one side of the plane and everyone was screaming to get out,” she told 7 News.
Another person said: "We were on fire pretty much. They wouldn't let us out of the plane until the fire was extinguished.
Lee Bee Yee was another passenger who filmed the ordeal and said the experience was "so-close to death" as he and other passengers waited for crews to control the blaze.
"After reaching Changi Airport, as the plane was landing, the engine burst into flames!!!! Huge fire was burning!" Yee said in a post accompanying the video clip.
"It was a heart wrenching 5 mins! Waiting for the fire engine and fire fighters to put out the fire! They shot foam and water into the fire and eventually it was put out!" Lee added.
"I thank God I am alive! I going home to hug my kids."
Firefighters battle the fire with foam and the wing was left blackened and melted. Photo: Facebook
Passengers unite and hug each other after the terrifying ordeal. Photo: 7 News
Nathan Safe from the Pilots Association told 7 News that everyone wants to know why passengers and crew weren't evacuated via the left side of the plane.
In a statement, SIA said the plane touched down at around 6:50am and there will be investigations.
"The aircraft's right engine caught fire after the aircraft touched down at Changi Airport at around 6:50am,"
"Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus."
Flight SQ368 turned back towards Changi Airport after almost two hours of flying. Photo: FlightAware
The airline said it would "be cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigations".
Passengers were transferred to another flight that left for Milan at 10:30am Singapore time, a spokesman told AFP.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put up a Facebook post thanking Changi Airport and SIA for their quick response.
"Relieved that all onboard were safely disembarked... SQ and CAAS (Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore) are investigating the cause, and will get to the bottom of the matter," he wrote.
