Chaos as holiday jet lands after fuel scare

Source: Scottish Daily Record Publication date: Mar 03, 2000

THE pilot of a holiday flight to Scotland ran from his cabin, shouting "Evacuate! Evacuate!" after he was forced to make an emergency landing yesterday.

Almost 200 holidaymakers were caught in a stampede as passengers followed the captain and flight crew to safety.

They then had to run for their lives across the tarmac, fearing the plane was about to explode.

Last night the airline, Airtours International, was investigating why their plane's British captain ordered the full evacuation on Flight AIH-916.

The Airbus A320 - carrying 176 passengers, including two babies, and six crew - was forced to return to Malaga airport 20 minutes into the trip to Edinburgh.

The pilot turned back after passengers complained about a strong smell of fuel inside the plane.

Glasgow couple Frank and Moira Egan, both 49, were returning home after a winter break in the Costa del Sol.

Moira said: "We began to smell fuel about 20 minutes into the flight. Then the pilot announced he was going to return to Malaga. Once we'd landed, he came out of the cabin, screaming 'Evacuate! Evacuate!'

"Everyone got up from their seats and there was a stampede to get to the emergency chutes. It was total chaos.

"Once we were safely on the tarmac, the steward- esses told us to run as far away from the plane as we could.

"They were telling us that the plane could go up at any time. It was terrifying."

The passengers and crew were evacuated to an airport restaurant as a full-scale emergency was declared.

Last night, a spokeswoman for Airtours confirmed that four passengers were treated for slight injuries.

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-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), March 03, 2000