Nearly 200 passengers had to evacuate a Buzz Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport early on Sunday. The evacuation was prompted by smoke filling the cabin when the pilots started the engines in preparation for takeoff. Buzz is a Poland-based partner of the Irish discount air carrier Ryanair, and the affected flight, bound for Krakow, was operated by Ryanair.
A video posted on X (below) depicts the chaotic scene as passengers hastily exit the aircraft using inflatable emergency slides deployed at the plane's doors. Despite the smoky cabin and the urgency of the situation, no injuries were reported. Emergency vehicles surrounded the plane on the snowy tarmac, with first responders and airport employees assisting in the evacuation.
Ryanair/Buzz 737 MAX evacuated at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport after smoke filled the cabin while starting the engines. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/k1pQs6mz4x
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) December 10, 2023
In a segment of the video, the cabin appears filled with smoke as panicked passengers grab their belongings and form queues to exit. Passengers reportedly had to vocally request the flight crew to open the cabin doors as the smoke slowly increased.
One passenger described the incident as "highly traumatic," according to AirLive. In response, a Ryanair spokesperson stated that Buzz engineers were inspecting the aircraft, and a replacement plane had been dispatched to Arlanda to transport passengers to their original destination.
The spokesperson's statement read, in part: "A Buzz aircraft this morning (10 Dec) in Arlanda reported fumes in the cabin. As a precaution, passengers were evacuated and returned to the terminal. We apologize sincerely to affected passengers for this delay, and we are doing everything to minimize it. Refreshment vouchers have been issued to passengers in Arlanda."
READ: Ryanair Review
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