Flybe (Exeter) Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) (G-FLBC, msn 4257), flying from Glasgow to Belfast, was forced to make an emergency landing yesterday (December 17) after an engine fire broke out on board. Flight BE 130, which was travelling to Belfast City Airport, was diverted to Belfast International Airport after the fire was detected.

The airline confirmed the plane was met by emergency services “as a routine and precautionary measure”.

There were no injuries among the 76 passengers, two pilots and two cabin crew. Passengers were brought off the plane and taken by road to Belfast City Airport.

One passenger tweeted: “Lucky to be alive tonight. Plane engine caught fire over the sea. Serious credit to the pilots and crew, great job. Plane had to do an emergency landing. Had basically accepted that my time on earth was done. Pilots I love you.”

In a statement Flybe said: “Flybe can confirm that flight BE 130 from Glasgow to Belfast City diverted to Belfast International Airport due a small engine fire, which was extinguished before landing.”

They added: “At no time was the safety and wellbeing of passengers compromised. Flybe operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers guidelines.”

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Read the full report from the BBC (with videos): CLICK HERE

Report by Assistant Editor Oliver Wilcock from Manchester.

Top Photo: Twitter photo by Ivan.

Flybe aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-2/Airlines-Europe-2/Flybe