Emergency Landing Following In-Flight Incident
A Delta Airlines flight from Barcelona to Boston was forced to make an emergency landing at Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport in Porto, Portugal, on Sunday afternoon after smoke was reported in the cabin. Flight DL251, operated with an Airbus A330, departed Barcelona–El Prat Airport at 3:15 p.m. local time (1315 GMT) and landed safely in Porto at 5:45 p.m. (1645 GMT), according to flight data from Flightradar24. The airline confirmed the diversion was due to a reported mechanical issue. Portuguese authorities later clarified the situation involved smoke inside the aircraft’s cabin.
Passenger Treatment and Response
Eight passengers received medical treatment on the tarmac at the airport following the landing. Three others were transported to hospital for further assessment, a spokesperson for Portugal’s emergency and civil protection authority told Reuters. All 296 people onboard, passengers and crew, were evacuated safely. The condition of those treated has not been disclosed.
Delta Airlines stated the aircraft landed without incident and that passenger safety was the priority. The airline is working with local authorities to accommodate affected passengers. Investigations into the cause of the smoke are ongoing. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) typically becomes involved in incidents involving U.S. carriers abroad, though no U.S. agency has issued a statement yet.
Reported by elpais.com, reuters.com, nbcnews.com, straitstimes.com, AFP, dailymail.com, observador.pt, hora-h.pt.
