Panic on UK bound Ryanair flight after fire alarm chaos leaves 18 injured
Eighteen passengers were injured after a fire alarm went off onboard a UK bound Ryanair flight waiting to take off from Palma de Mallorca Airport in the early hours of Saturday.
EuroWeekly reports the blaze, which started just after midnight, sparked panic among those on board, with some terrified passengers jumping from the aircraft's wings onto the tarmac in a desperate attempt to escape.
Six of the injured were taken to hospitals on the island, while the remaining 12 were treated at the scene for minor injuries, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
The plane was scheduled to depart from Palma to Manchester Airport when the alarm was set off.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, activating a major incident response protocol due to the risk of mass casualties. Two Advanced Life Support and two Basic Life Support ambulances were dispatched, alongside airport firefighters and members of the Civil Guard.
Despite some chaotic scenes, most passengers were evacuated in an orderly manner through the aircraft's emergency exits. However, footage shared on social media showed panicked travellers leaping from the plane and abandoning their belongings in the rush to safety.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of confusion and fear, with many saying they were unsure what was happening as smoke began to spread through the cabin. The evacuation took place via emergency exits located above the wings, forcing some to jump from a considerable height to the ground below.
One passenger wrote on TikTok: 'It was absolute chaos. People were screaming and climbing over seats to get out. We didn't know if the plane was going to explode.'
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Ryanair has said the flight was discontinued due to a "false fire warning." A replacement flight left Palma at 7.05am.
The incident is the latest in a string of concerning events for the budget airline, which operates hundreds of flights between the UK and Spanish holiday destinations each week.
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