Emergency as Flybe flight BE130 from Glasgow to Belfast suffers engine fire mid-flight

On a routine flight between Glasgow and Belfast’s George Best City airport, Flybe’s flight BE130, believed to be a turboprop Bombardier Q400 twin engine aircraft, suffered an engine fire while over the Irish Sea and was subsequently forced to divert to Belfast International Airport where it successfully landed on one engine. On board the flight were 76 passengers and four crew, all bar one being safely evacuated from the plane unharmed. One unidentified person was taken to hospital on a precautionary basis. Early comments from those on board the flight seemed to indicate that there were no steps down from one of the emergency exits to assist with the evacuation from the plane to deal with the six foot drop to the ground. Flybe confirmed the flight was diverted due to a small engine fire “which was extinguished before landing”. An inspection of the plane is already under way. One passenger, Owen Glenn, stated there had been a “big fireball in one of the engines which lit up the whole side of the plane”. “There were sparks coming out. So they shut down that engine. We were running on one engine after that,” he continued. “People were getting a little panicked. The crew were doing their best to calm everybody down but people weren’t really sure what was happening.” Billy Pocock, who was also on the flight, told journalists that he had looked out of the window and noticed the engine was on fire. “There was some concern, and a lot of people were quite upset but not hysterical” he stated. “The pilot did a super job, great landing. There was an emergency evacuation.” Flybe’s comment about the incident said: “The emergency services attended as a routine and precautionary measure.”At no time was the safety and well-being of passengers compromised.” The flight had already been delayed in its departure from Glasgow owing to suspected problems with a wheel. After this incident the majority of passengers were subsequently taken by bus to Belfast George Best City Airport.