A flight from Corfu, Greece, to Düsseldorf, Germany, was forced to make an emergency landing in Brindisi, Italy, after passengers saw flames coming from the right wing shortly after 8 p.m., according to Bild.
The Boeing 757 was carrying 273 passengers and eight crew members at an altitude of 11,000 meters. The problem emerged about 40 minutes into the flight, leaving passengers shocked and fearful.
Witnesses recalled hearing loud rattling and bangs before flames became visible. Some travelers sent “goodbye texts” to loved ones. Passenger Leah Steininger said, “About 20 minutes later, we got the message that the gearbox had completely failed and that we’d be continuing the flight with just one.”
Despite the panic, most passengers remained calm as the pilot kept them updated. “The passengers stayed composed,” passenger Niklas Gelbhaar shared. “The pilot explained everything.”