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Tourists describe panic on board Boeing jet as engine exploded moments after take-off from Corfu with passengers 'sending last messages to loved ones'
Tourists on board a Boeing passenger jet that suffered an engine explosion just moments after take-off have told how they were sending 'last messages to loved ones' amid the chaos.
Flight DE3655 to Dusseldorf from Corfu was carrying 273 passengers and eight crew when it took to the skies on Saturday, before making an emergency landing in Brindisi, Italy.
But just forty minutes after take-off, when the aircraft reached a height of 1,500ft, orange sparks began flickering and sparking from the jet's right engine.
Footage from inside the plane showed terrifying bursts of flames exploding from the engine while the aircraft shook as it travelled over the sea.
Inside the cabin, a power outage and loud bangs made passengers fear the worst. Many of those recording from the ground reported hearing a 'deafening sound, seemingly like an explosion' coming from the aircraft during the incident.
'I sent goodbye messages thinking it was over. It was a horrible experience,' a woman traveling with her daughter told Bild.
'Suddenly, we heard a loud noise, then flames shot out of the engine. It was very scary,' another passenger said. A young woman named Leah described 'a loud clicking noise.'
But despite the panic as they flew over Corfu, the pilots veered the plane to the right and turned back on itself to become parallel to the take off and landing runway at Corfu Airport - which had been placed on red alert at the time.
However, the pilots decided that this would no longer be necessary as they assumed they could continue the flight with a single engine.
The aircraft then moved at an altitude of eight thousand feet and landed at Brindisi airport, Italy, across from Corfu.
According to German network RTL, the pilots were forced to change course to Brindisi as the engine malfunction did not allow them to carry through the flight to Dusseldorf.
'We apologise for any inconvenience, but passenger safety is our top priority at any given time', Condor airways said in a statement.
The passengers and crew on board were forced to spend a night in Puglia, but their new emergency location was unable to accommodate them all in local establishments.
Condor Airlines told Bild that passengers stranded at the airport had been given food vouchers and blankets following the incident.
By the time they left on Monday morning, some passengers were still so stunned by the ordeal they they decided to take a 19-hour bus journey to return to Corfu instead of boarding another plane.
An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.
It comes after a plane skidded down the runway to make an emergency landing at Birmingham Airport on August 6 forcing all flights to remain grounded for hours.
The small aircraft, a Beech B200 Super King Air plane, had been headed for Belfast before it was forced to make an impromptu landing on the city runway at 1.40pm.
An observer, who wished to remain anonymous, filmed the plane - forced to descend without fully extending its landing gear - as it made the emergency stop.
Three people received medical attention after the emergency landing, but just one person was treated for minor injuries.
