A Delta Air Lines jet carrying over 200 passengers was evacuated on the tarmac at Atlanta airport on Friday morning following an engine issue that led to an aborted takeoff, resulting in injuries to four individuals, as confirmed by officials from both the airline and the airport. Passenger Curtis James captured a photo showing emergency slides being deployed as passengers disembarked from the Boeing 757 on the snowy tarmac of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
James recounted the frightening experience to CNN, stating, “On takeoff, something went wrong and the engine caught fire. Had to emergency evacuate the plane.” While it was not immediately clarified if the engine problem directly caused the fire, Delta Airlines released a statement affirming that their flight crew adhered to established protocols by halting the takeoff of Flight 2668 from Atlanta to Minneapolis-St. Paul upon detecting indications of an engine issue.
The incident took place at 9:10 a.m., with the airport confirming that four passengers sustained minor injuries, one of whom required transportation for further medical attention, while the remaining three were treated at the scene. Passenger Allison Wade filmed the evacuation process, expressing shock at the situation as smoke continued to emanate from the aircraft on the tarmac. She remarked on the surreal scene, saying, “This is crazy, so now we’re all standing out here, in Atlanta, in the snow.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) referenced a “reported engine issue” and announced its intention to investigate the occurrence. Similarly, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) informed CNN that they are actively monitoring the situation but have not yet launched a formal inquiry.
Delta Airlines disclosed that the flight accommodated 201 passengers, in addition to two pilots and five flight attendants. Following the evacuation, the passengers were escorted back to the terminal via vehicles on the tarmac. The incident unfolded in the midst of challenging winter weather conditions affecting a significant portion of the Southern United States.
Atlanta’s airport has borne the brunt of these adverse weather conditions, with over 400 flights canceled by 11 a.m. ET on Friday, representing over 40% of the scheduled flights at the airport according to data from FlightAware. Nationally, more than 2,500 flights have been canceled, underscoring the widespread disruptions caused by the inclement weather.
The situation is ongoing, and further updates will be provided as new information emerges. For additional news coverage and newsletters, viewers can access CNN’s content by creating an account on CNN.com.
