189 passengers evacuated from flight at Stockholm airport after smoke fills cabin
In a shocking incident, nearly 200 people were forced to evacuate an aircraft at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport in Sweden on December 10 after the plane's cabin was filled up with smoke when the engine was switched on to takeoff, as per a report in the New York Post.
The Buzz Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft is a Poland-based partner of Irish air carrier Ryanair and was preparing to leave for Krakow in Poland when the crisis unfolded.
Several videos of the incident, posted on X, showed the chaotic scene unfolding as passengers hastily exit the aircraft via inflatable emergency slides deployed at the plane's doors.
While first responders and airport staff assisted passengers in evacuating, several emergency vehicles encircled the aircraft on the snow-covered tarmac.
On Dec 10, Buzz (#Ryanair) Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 (SP-RZG) flight #FR4626 from #Stockholm Arlanda to #Krakow was evacuated via slides after smoke filled the cabin during engine start. There were 189 passengers on board, no injuries were reported.
— FlightMode (@FlightModeblog) December 11, 2023
🎥 via @liv59224#Boeing #737MAX pic.twitter.com/2cRHol3FUD
However, no injuries were reported.
The video also showed the smoke-filled cabin where the 189 terrified passengers gathered their luggage and formed a line to get off the plane.
According to the New York Post, passengers had to shout at the flight crew to open the cabin doors so they could leave as the cabin started filling with smoke. A passenger called the entire ordeal "highly traumatic."
A Ryanair representative said in a statement that Buzz engineers were examining the aircraft and that a replacement aircraft had been sent to Arlanda to carry the passengers to their intended destination.
"A Buzz aircraft this morning (10 Dec) in Arlanda reported fumes in the cabin. As a precaution, passengers were evacuated and returned to the terminal," the statement said.
"We apologise sincerely to affected passengers for this delay which we are doing everything to minimise. Refreshment vouchers have been issued to passengers in Arlanda," it added.