A plane packed with passengers caught fire after an explosion just after taking off. The incident unfolded near midnight at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, the largest airport in Brazil and Latin America, leading to a fire next to the runway that emergency crews swiftly extinguished.
Video footage captured the plane’s takeoff and subsequent explosion, with debris falling to the ground and igniting grass. The pilot of the Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-323 issued a ‘Mayday’ call before making an emergency landing.
The aircraft was en route to Atlanta, USA, with the flight lasting slightly over nine minutes. Around 300 passengers were onboard the jet, which aborted its ascent at 4,500 feet to return to the terminal.
During a conversation with the flight commander, an air traffic controller informed the pilot of the fire on the wings, to which the pilot acknowledged and confirmed the need to return.
Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries. Delta Air Lines announced the cancellation of flight DL0104 due to mechanical issues and expressed regret for any inconvenience caused.
In a separate development, a European country has restricted its airspace to US military aircraft involved in the conflict with Iran. US warplanes participating in the conflict are now prohibited from using Spanish airspace or landing at bases in Spain. This move has further strained relations between US President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over Spain’s lack of support for the military operations.
Spain has consistently refrained from allowing fighter jets or other US military aircraft to utilize the Rota (Cádiz) and Morón de la Frontera (Seville) airbases since the conflict began. The Spanish leader has been notably critical of Trump in Europe and opposed engaging in what he deems an unjustified military campaign against Iran.
Tensions escalated when Spain’s foreign minister contradicted a statement by the White House press secretary, highlighting Spain’s stance of not endorsing the military action against Iran while condemning the Tehran government.
