More than 150 passengers were forced to evacuate an airliner in Japan after an engine problem caused smoke to enter the cabin moments before takeoff, authorities said yesterday.
Four people were injured as they left the Japan Airlines Boeing 737 taxiing on the New Chitose Airport snow cover, which serves the northern city of Sapporo, said the local fire department.
Carrying 159 passengers and six crew, the 3512 flight was about to depart for the southern city of Fukuoka in 3 p.m. (1 a.m. E.T) when the computer detects a problem with his right engine, said a spokesman for Japan Airlines.
Soon after, smoke and a smell inside the cabin were detected, leading the crew to evacuate the aircraft. Firefighters said they have to extinguish the flames and could not confirm that she made a blaze.
"That's all we know so far," a spokesman for Japan Airlines told. Two women, 74 and 71 years old, hip, a 67-year-old was injured, he hurts his neck and a 22-year-old, complained of not feeling well, according to an official fire Department Chitose.