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The tourist plane was flying from Phuket, Thailand, to Moscow, Russia when the terrifying fire erupted. Video captured from the passenger seat shows the moment the plane’s tyres explode during take-off. The video, recorded on a passenger’s phone, captured the terrified reaction of those on board when the engine also burst into flames.
In the clip, smoke and flames come be seen bursting from the right engine.
Another clip from the view of the tarmac also shows the dramatic moment the engine go up in flames, which led the pilot to abruptly abort the departure.
The captain managed to force the speeding plane to stop on the runway, while emergency officials rushed to the stricken plane.
The Moscow-bound flight was carrying 309 passengers and 12 crew on board at the time.
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The majority of those on board were Russian tourists returning to their country.
Witnesses told airport staff that the engine fire was followed by the “sound of two explosions”.
Officials revealed that the landing gear also ignited in flames on the same right side of the aircraft.
Observers on social media were quick to link the botched take-off from the Russian Azur Air Boeing 767-300ER to Russia‘s inability to maintain and repair aircraft due to ongoing sanctions against the country.
One passenger told Russian media outlet Izvestia: “At first the takeoff was normal. But then there was a surge and I heard the sound of crackling.”
It is thought that many Russian men are fleeing to Thailand, seen as a ‘friendly’ country by Russia, amid fears of a new round of conscription for the war in Ukraine.
The botched take-off comes just days after a top Russian aviation official said Western-made airliners – which are not undergoing repairs in Russian due to sanctions – can be used until 2030.
Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport, Alexander Neradko said: “I am confident that it has not become more dangerous to fly – and it has nothing to do with the presence or absence of original spare parts.”
