A crowded aircraft caught fire due to an explosion shortly after taking off. The incident unfolded close to midnight at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, the largest airport in Brazil and Latin America. This led to a fire near the runway, prompting swift action from emergency responders.
Video footage captured the take-off and subsequent blast, showing burnt debris from the plane falling and igniting the grass. The pilot of the Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-323 issued a distress signal, known as a ‘Mayday,’ before executing an emergency landing.
The flight was en route to Atlanta, USA, with a brief duration of just over nine minutes. Around 300 passengers were onboard the aircraft, which aborted its ascent at 4,500 feet to return to the airport terminal.
During a conversation with the flight commander, an air traffic controller warned the pilot of the fire on the wings, to which the pilot acknowledged and confirmed the need to return.
Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries. Delta Air Lines announced the cancellation of flight DL0104 due to mechanical issues and expressed regret for any inconvenience caused.
Meanwhile, a prominent European nation has restricted the airspace for US military aircraft involved in the Iran conflict. This restriction prevents US warplanes from landing at Spanish bases or utilizing Spanish airspace. The decision has irked US President Donald Trump, who criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for not supporting the war efforts.
Spain has consistently prohibited fighter jets and other US military aircraft from using the Rota (Cádiz) and Morón de la Frontera (Seville) airbases since the conflict began. The Spanish leader has been a vocal critic of Trump in Europe, refusing to cooperate in what he considers an unwarranted military action against Iran.
Tensions escalated when Spain’s foreign minister contradicted the White House press secretary’s claim that Spain was cooperating with the US military. Despite condemning the Iranian government’s actions, Sánchez made it clear that Spain opposes an unjustified war.
