A JetBlue flight bound for West Palm Beach was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport on Wednesday evening after experiencing engine trouble that led to smoke in the cockpit, authorities said.
The incident triggered a temporary halt in airport operations and an emergency evacuation of the aircraft after landing.
According to the Port Authority, JetBlue Flight 543 departed Newark at 5:43 pm (local time) but turned back shortly after takeoff due to an engine failure. The aircraft landed safely at the airport.
“The aircraft landed safely, and customers and crewmembers evacuated using the aircraft’s slides,” JetBlue said in a statement cited by Fox News. The airline added, “Safety is JetBlue’s top priority. We are focused on supporting our customers and crewmembers and will work closely with the appropriate federal authorities to investigate what occurred.”
Newark Liberty International Airport confirmed that flight operations were briefly suspended while the aircraft was removed from a taxiway. Normal operations resumed around 7:00 pm (local time), according to the Port Authority.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident.
As a result of the disruption, departing flights were delayed by approximately 90 minutes, while arriving flights faced delays of more than two hours.
