Terrifying moment Air Canada flight to Paris catches fire seconds after taking off from airport

A terrifying video shows an Air Canada flight to Paris catching fire just seconds after takeoff.

The aircraft took off from Toronto Pearson International Airport and was scheduled to land in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on Wednesday (5 June).

However, the flight had to turn around due to a frightening engine issue.

Watch below:

The Boeing 777 was carrying 389 passengers and 13 crew members on flight AC872, Air Canada confirmed.

And someone who was recording the footage is heard shouting ‘Holy crap!’ as the aircraft alarmingly caught fire mid-air.

Shortly after takeoff, the plane turned around and returned to Toronto, the airline said.

The fire was triggered due to an engine problem that ‘turned out to be a compressor stall’.

Emergency vehicles were on hand as the plane landed back to ground and another aircraft took the passengers to their travel destination that same evening.

The plane caught on fire moments after takeoff. (Media Drum World)

The airline said that a compressor stall usually takes place when the aerodynamics of the turbine engine are affected.

Taking to social media, Air Canada has since shared a statement on Friday (7 June), to explain what happened.

Providing us with an ‘update on flight AC872’, the airline said: “The plane scheduled for flight AC872 between Toronto and Paris on June 5 returned to Toronto shortly after takeoff due to an engine problem that was determined to be a compressor stall.

“The aircraft landed normally and was met by emergency vehicles as a precaution before it taxied to the gate on its own.

“Passengers were accommodated on another aircraft later that same evening.

“Holy crap!” someone recording the takeoff shouted. (Media Drum World)

“There were 389 passengers and 13 crew members on board of the Boeing 777.

“Video of the incident posted online shows the engine at the point of compressor stall, which can happen with a turbine engine when its aerodynamics are affected.

“This can be caused by different factors, but it has the effect of disrupting the air flow in the engine, which has the effect of igniting the fuel further in the engine, hence the flames visible in the video.

“It’s not the engine itself that’s on fire.

“Our pilots are highly qualified professionals, well trained to handle such incidents safely.

“In this specific case, the situation was quickly stabilised in accordance with

our standard procedures and the plane landed normally.”

Air Canada also told CP24 that the plane would be ‘taken out of service for further evaluation by our maintenance and engineering professionals’, as per inews.

LADbible has contacted Pearson Airport for comment.

Featured Image Credit: Media Drum World

Topics: Travel, World News