Stunning footage obtained by CEN shows the shocking moment an Airbus A321 engine burst into flames Sunday after crossing paths with a bird while flying over Brazil.
The jet from LATAM Airlines, which is based in Chile, had taken off from Salvador for a three-hour flight to São Paulo when a bird was suddenly sucked into the starboard wing. No injuries were reported.
Dramatic video from inside Flight LA3361 shows sparks coming from the engine as the pilot turns back to make an emergency landing at Luís Eduardo Magalhães airport.
After miraculously landing the plane safely, passengers could be seen applauding the pilot’s expert maneuvers.
As the flight touched down, the engine became engulfed in flames.
One passenger was so grateful he survived that he exited the plane on his knees to give thanks.
“It really was a moment of terror that we experienced. A very big scare, but thank God everything worked out,” passenger Carpenter Marcelo de Oliveira recalled.
He said the engine burst into flames just minutes after takeoff.
“We panicked, we thought we were going to die,” he added.
The Post reached out to LATAM spokespeople for comment.
An airline rep told CEN that all passengers were safely booked on other flights.
“The company emphasizes that it adopts all technical and operational measures to ensure a safe trip for everyone,” the statement said.
CEN reports that an air safety investigation is underway.