MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. One of the two engines of an A320 passenger liner is said to have caught fire as the plane was about to leave Moscow’s Domodedovo airport for Tbilisi on Wednesday, one of the flight’s passengers said. The air carrier that owns the plane, S7, says there was no fire at all.
"As the plane started accelerating along the runway, there occurred a bright flash under the portside wing near the engine. The plane promptly came to a halt," the witness told TASS, adding that he saw the flash himself through the porthole.
The pilot announced the plane had developed technical problems and that all passengers would board another flight.
The S7 air carrier denied the fire.
"The Airbus A320 (Flight S7-955 from Moscow to Tbilisi) returned from the takeoff point following a warning of possible technical problems. The plane had not begun to accelerate along the runway yet. The engine fire rumor is untrue," the air carrier said.
A source in the law enforcement has told TASS the plane had developed technical problems but the engine fire rumor had not been confirmed.
"According to the Russian air transport authority Rosaviatsiya and airport’s flights chief have said that as the A320 plane was getting ready for departure from Moscow to Tbilisi a technical problem in one of the engines was identified, but there was no fire. The flight’s 138 passengers will take a reserve flight," the source said.
Transport police sources have confirmed to TASS the Domodedovo airport operates as usual.