Moment Delta flight bursts into flames in explosion seconds after take-off

A Delta Air Lines flight burst into flames just seconds after taking off from Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport – the plane was on its way to Atlanta in the United States

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A packed plane burst into flames following an explosion seconds after take-off.

The drama occurred just before midnight yesterday at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, the largest airport in Brazil and Latin America, causing a fire next to the runway which emergency responders had to rush to put out.

Video footage of the take-off and subsequent blast shows the scorched material from the packed plane falling to the ground and setting light to grass. The pilot of the Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-323 declared ‘Mayday’ before making an emergency landing.

The plane was on its way to Atlanta in the United States, with the flight lasting just over nine minutes. Nearly 300 passengers were reportedly on board the jet, which stopped its climb at 4,500ft to return to the terminal.

An air traffic controller, in a conversation with the flight commander, said: “Delta, you have fire on your wings” and the pilot responded: “We know, we will need to return.”

There were no reports of any injuries. Delta Air Lines said on its website it had cancelled flight DL0104 due to mechanic problems and apologised for the inconvenience.

It comes as a major European country has closed its airspace to US warplanes involved in the conflict with Iran.

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Shocking footage shows the moment the engine exploded ( 
Image:
SBGR LIVE/Youtube)

US planes involved in the war will not be allowed to land at bases in Spain or use its airspace. Donald Trump has already been angered by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over his lack of support for the war effort.

Since the start of the war, Spain has not allowed fighter jets or other US warplanes to use the Rota (Cádiz) and Morón de la Frontera (Seville) airbases. The Spanish leader has been Europe’s most consistently vocal critic of Trump, who threatened “to cut off all trade” with the country earlier this month for not allowing the US to use military bases.

The spat intensified when Spain’s foreign minister contradicted a claim by the White House press secretary that Spain had heard Trump’s message “loud and clear” and was cooperating with the US military. While denouncing the repressive government in Tehran, Sánchez said he would not back a war that he said was an unjustified assault.