American Airlines Boeing 737 bursts into flames (VIDEOS)

An American Airlines passenger jet carrying 178 people caught fire on Thursday after an engine malfunction forced it to divert and land in an another city.

Flight 1006 was en route from Colorado Springs to Dallas Fort Worth when the crew detected engine vibrations, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Boeing 737-800 diverted to Denver, Colorado and landed safely.

“After landing and while taxiing to the gate an engine caught fire,” the FAA statement said. 

Photos and videos shared by news outlets captured dozens of passengers standing on the plane’s wing while evacuating, surrounded by thick smoke.

The pilot informed Denver air traffic controllers of engine issues shortly before landing but stated it was not an emergency, CNN said, citing air traffic control audio from LiveATC.net.

American Airlines reported that all 172 passengers and six crew members safely exited the plane. Denver International Airport confirmed on X that 12 people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

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The latest case adds to a series of recent aviation incidents that have raised concerns about US aviation safety.

This year has already seen deadly crashes this year in Alaska, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, where an American Airlines plane collided midair with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter in January, killing 67 people.

The latest occurrence also adds to a series of issues involving Boeing aircraft, including one affecting a jet carrying the US secretary of state. Last month, a Boeing C-32 – a modified version of the Boeing 757 – transporting Marco Rubio to Germany for the Munich Security Conference was forced to return to base due to a “mechanical issue.”