Terrifying moment Boeing 737 engine bursts into flames shortly after takeoff from LAX
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Shocking video footage captured the terrifying moment a Boeing 737 engine began sparking and shooting flames into the night sky shortly after takeoff, with passengers describing what seemed like a mid-air 'explosion.'
The FAA has launched an investigation after the right engine of a Sun Country Airlines Boeing 737 experienced issues mid-air, just moments after it took off from Los Angeles International Airport on Monday night.
The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing back to LAX.
Flight 430 was en route to Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport with 166 passengers onboard when it experienced 'an issue' with one engine.
The pilots declared an emergency and safely returned to LAX.
Fire trucks and emergency officials were waiting for the plane.
'I was actually seated next to the engine that caught on fire. I saw just a really bright flash out the window,' a passenger named Sarah told CNN affiliate WCCO.
'The passenger next to me held hands and kind of comforted each other, bracing for the worst.'
Another passenger, Ruth Sorensen, described the chaos onboard the flight.
'We weren't even in the air 25 minutes and it sounded like lightning had struck the plane or something had exploded,' one passenger on board, Ruth Sorensen, told CNN.
'We could actually hear the engine, shutting down after this happened and the flames were coming out.'
In response, the airline emphasized its commitment to passenger safety.
'Our passengers and crew are our priority, and we appreciate the professionalism of our pilots and flight attendants to ensure the safety of our customers.'
Also this week, a Turkish Airlines flight en route to San Francisco was diverted to Chicago after a passenger reportedly died during the flight.
Flight TK79 departed from Istanbul just before 2:30 pm local time and was in the air for almost 12 hours before the emergency landing.
The passenger first began experiencing a 'severe medical emergency' as the plane flew over Greenland, according to Aviation A2Z.
In response to the passenger's condition, the crew prepared to land at Keflavik Airport in Iceland.
Flight attendants performed CPR on the passenger, and consulted medical personnel on the ground via radio.
Despite the crew's efforts, the passenger died in the air and the pilots reassessed an emergency landing.
Flight staff decided to land at the Chicago O'Hare International Airport, where medical personnel could handle the passenger's body.
Since the passenger was already pronounced dead in the air, there was less urgency to land outside of US territory
