This is the moment terrified passengers watched flames pouring out of the engine of their plane on a UK-bound flight.
Footage shows orange flames shooting out into the night sky from the left side of the Gulf Air Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner around an hour into the flight.
The plane had taken off from Bahrain before the engine burst into flames.
The aircraft made an emergency landing at Kuwait International Airport due to the fire in the early hours of Sunday, December 1.
Passengers on Flight GF5 were stranded for more than 14 hours – allegedly without receiving any assistance.
One said: ‘There was no help for us. The airport staff were rude and the airline did nothing. We were left waiting in a foreign country with nobody telling us what would happen.’
Officials said the scheduled departure time was 2.10am, with an arrival time of 6.35am.
Flightradar24 reported that the aircraft departed delayed at 2.25am before making an emergency landing around an hour later.
Footage shows orange flames shooting out into the night sky from the left side of the Gulf Air Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner around an hour into the flight
Footage shows the left wing of the plane being engulfed in flames
Pictured above are emergency vehicles arriving at the scene after the plane made its emergency landing
Local media reported that some passengers faced alleged discrimination, claiming that while EU, UK, and US passport holders were provided accommodation, travellers from India, Pakistan, and southeast Asia were initially denied food and water.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait addressed the matter with airport authorities and airline officials. They arranged temporary lodging for senior citizens and passengers with infants.
Gulf Air said in a statement: ‘Gulf Air confirms that Flight GF005, operating from Bahrain International Airport (BAH) to Manchester Airport (MAN) on December 1, 2024, was diverted to Kuwait International Airport (KWI) due to a technical issue.
‘An alternative aircraft has been arranged for passengers to continue their journey to Manchester. Temporary accommodations were also arranged for passengers affected by the diversion.
‘Gulf Air apologizes for any inconvenience caused by this unexpected change in itinerary and appreciates the understanding and patience of our passengers and their families. The safety and security of those traveling with us remains our top priority.’
The plane involved in the incident was a 6.5-year-old Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, registered as A9C-FB. It has a seating capacity of 282 passengers, with 256 in economy class and 26 in business class.
Gulf Air’s fleet consists of 42 aircraft, including Airbus A320, A321, and Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
