Boeing 787 Hainan Airlines plane forced to emergency land after engine bursts into flames shortly after take-off

The Hainan Airlines flight was bound for the Chinese city of Shenzhen when it had to make an emergency landing at Rome's Fiumicino Airport on Sunday (10 November). The plane was packed with 249 passengers and 16 crew members when the right engine went up in flames after takeoff.

The aircraft was apparently struck by a bird, the Italian Coast Guard said in a statement. Bird strikes are common and can be a significant threat to aircraft safety.

The Boeing plane turned back and landed safely after dumping fuel over the sea. There were no delays to air traffic at Fiumicino, an Italian airport official said.

Video footage shows the plane cruising in the sky before bright orange flames appear on one wing. The flames quickly spread across the engine, and the plane had to make an emergency landing back at Fiumicino Airport

The incident is currently being investigated. The plane will undergo checks to establish what happened and whether severe damage was caused. 

It comes after a Boeing 737-500 aircraft, bound for the town of Wamena, caught fire at Sentani Airport in Jayapura, Papua Province, Indonesia on Tuesday (5 November) forcing its 121 passengers to evacuate. People on board the jet were seen skidding down an inflatable emergency slide, as screams and sirens blared in the background.

One passenger reportedly noticed the fire and panicked, prompting them to open the emergency door while screaming to other travellers. The flight was reportedly cancelled and two others were delayed due to the fire.