False alarm on Spain-Britain Ryanair flight leaves passengers injured in slide evacuation
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A Manchester-bound Ryanair flight was suspended on July 4 owing to a false fire alarm.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MADRID – A false fire alarm aboard a Ryanair jet preparing for take-off from Spain’s Palma de Mallorca Airport saw several passengers injured as they left the plane via inflatable ramps, the Irish carrier said on July 5.
The Manchester-bound flight was suspended on the evening of July 4 owing to the false fire alarm.
“Passengers were disembarked using the inflatable slides and returned to the terminal,” Ryanair said in a statement, adding that there was no fire on the aircraft.
“While disembarking, a small number of passengers encountered very minor injuries (like ankle sprains), and the crew requested immediate medical assistance.
“To minimise disruption to passengers, we quickly arranged a replacement aircraft to operate this flight, which departed Palma at 7.05 this morning.”
Local Mallorca media reported 18 injuries, all minor, with six requiring hospitalisation and the remainder treated on-site. The low-cost airline is popular with British tourists visiting coastal destinations in Spain and southern Europe, including the Balearic island of Mallorca.
State-owned Spanish airport managing company Aena confirmed there was an incident on a Ryanair plane last night at Palma de Mallorca Airport. It added that “there was no fire, and the incident did not affect airport operations”. AFP
