A Delta flight from Barcelona to Boston made an emergency landing in Porto, Portugal on Sunday afternoon after a reported mechanical issue.
What happened on Delta Flight DL251?
Flight DL251 was diverted to Porto following a reported mechanical issue and landed safely, the airline said, as per Reuters. Flight tracking service Flightradar24 data suggested the plane left Barcelona at 3:15pm (1315 GMT) and landed in Porto at 5:45pm (1645 GMT).
According to The Resident, the flight was over the Atlantic when smoke was detected in the cabin, prompting the Airbus A330 to turn back and land at Porto’s Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport. An alert level 2 was activated at the airport, meaning emergency teams were on standby for the aircraft’s arrival.
Air traffic was stopped for a few minutes during the emergency landing and resumed shortly after, according to The Resident. Around 60 personnel from the Porto District Relief Operations Command were at the airport. More emergency resources were also brought in but were later stood down.
A Portuguese emergency and civil protection authority spokesperson told Reuters that the emergency landing happened because of smoke in the cabin.
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How many people were hurt?
According to Reuters, eight passengers were treated on the tarmac at the airport, while three others were taken to hospital for treatment, the Portuguese spokesperson said.
The jet was flying from Barcelona to Boston in the United States with 296 passengers when it was diverted, according to media reports. The plane landed safely at the airport in northern Portugal. The civil protection service said 14 passengers needed medical help after the landing, as per AFP.
The remaining passengers were evacuated safely and were waiting for an alternative flight scheduled for the next afternoon, according to The Resident.
What caused the issue and what happens next?
The incident is believed to have been caused by a “technical problem” that still needs to be identified and addressed, according to The Resident.
Delta confirmed connected flights DL276 and DL277 have been canceled, as per reports.
The cause of the incident was not immediately known.
