A Ryanair flight faced a fire scare at Brindisi Airport in southern Italy, leading to the safe evacuation of approximately 200 passengers. The incident occurred shortly before takeoff when fumes were detected outside the aircraft, prompting immediate action from the cabin crew. The aircraft, scheduled for Flight FR8826 from Brindisi to Turin, was preparing for departure when the situation unfolded.
Swift Evacuation and Emergency Response
The flight crew promptly initiated an evacuation procedure for the 184 passengers on board, ensuring their safe disembarkation. Firefighters arrived at the scene to handle the situation, and the passengers were transported back to the terminal by bus. Ryanair later confirmed the incident in a statement, saying, “Passengers were disembarked without incident, and they were safely returned to the terminal.”
Temporary Airport Closure and Resumption of Operations
The fire incident led to the temporary closure of Brindisi Airport, located in the Puglia region of southeastern Italy. However, Aeroporti di Puglia, the airport operator, confirmed that normal operations had resumed by late morning.
To minimize disruptions, Ryanair announced plans to deploy a replacement aircraft to fly the affected passengers to their destination in Turin later the same day. Despite the unexpected delay, all passengers were reported to be safe, and no injuries were reported during the evacuation.