The passengers sustained injuries when they panicked and opened the emergency exit, running out onto the apron. - Antara
JAKARTA: A Trigana Air Boeing 737-500, carrying 121 passengers, was forced to abort its flight to Wamena on Tuesday (Nov 5) after a passenger's claim of an engine fire caused panic at Sentani Airport in Jayapura, Papua.
The incident occurred around 11.21am local time as the aircraft was taxiing toward the runway and the sight of flames led to a chaotic evacuation.
"Four passengers sustained minor injuries during the chaotic evacuation that followed,” the airport stakeholder relations manager Surya Eka stated in a statement.
He explained that the injuries occurred when a passenger, apparently alarmed by the sight of flames, opened the emergency exit, triggering panic among other passengers.
"This prompted a rush of people fleeing onto the apron in a frantic attempt to escape,” he added.
Meanwhile, the airport safety authority stated that the claim of an engine fire by one passenger is untrue.
Jayapura Police Deputy Senior Commissioner Umar Nasatekay said: "Flight attendants were pressured by passengers to open the emergency exit as the situation became tense."
The aircraft was later towed to a parking area for further inspection and remains grounded while authorities investigate the cause of the engine fire. - Bernama
