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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Plane evacuated after emergency | Plane evacuated after emergency |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A runway at Gatwick had to be closed after an aircraft that had diverted to the West Sussex airport was forced to make an emergency landing. | |
| The 46 passengers on board the Flybe flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Cardiff were safely evacuated from the plane, airport operator BAA said. | The 46 passengers on board the Flybe flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Cardiff were safely evacuated from the plane, airport operator BAA said. |
| The aircraft was later cleared from the runway, which has now reopened. | The aircraft was later cleared from the runway, which has now reopened. |
| A spokesperson for Flybe said the landing of the BE1432 flight followed a suspected technical fault. | A spokesperson for Flybe said the landing of the BE1432 flight followed a suspected technical fault. |
| The airline said the diverted aircraft landed at 1226 BST local time, with emergency vehicles deployed by the airport as a precautionary measure. | The airline said the diverted aircraft landed at 1226 BST local time, with emergency vehicles deployed by the airport as a precautionary measure. |
| We are advising those due to take flights today to turn up as normal Airport spokesman | We are advising those due to take flights today to turn up as normal Airport spokesman |
| Passenger Shayne Krige, a 36-year-old lawyer who lives in Paris, said smoke gathered in the roof of the cabin 20 minutes before the forced landing. | |
| "It started collecting along the roof and seemed to be getting thicker," he said. | |
| "The steward put on a mask and started walking down the aisle to find out where there might be a fire. | |
| "One person started to panic but everyone else was really calm." | |
| He said he and his wife, Heike Brunner, 36, held hands. | |
| "We looked at each other and said everything is going to be OK. | |
| "It was a little bit hair-raising, everything goes through your mind, you are on high alert." | |
| Mr Krige said passengers were not asked to take the brace position for the landing but there was a great sense of relief when the plane touched down safely. | |
| Four crew | |
| All the passengers disembarked without incident following emergency procedures and were taken to a reception area for welfare assistance. | All the passengers disembarked without incident following emergency procedures and were taken to a reception area for welfare assistance. |
| Flybe said they would all be re-accommodated at the earliest possible opportunity. | Flybe said they would all be re-accommodated at the earliest possible opportunity. |
| Four crew members were also on board. | Four crew members were also on board. |
| The runway was shut from about 1125 BST until just before 1300 BST. | The runway was shut from about 1125 BST until just before 1300 BST. |
| The airport said 11 flights due to land at Gatwick were diverted to other airports, while another 15 were held in waiting-to-land "stacking" positions. | |
| Three other flights were held on the ground. | |
| A spokesman said: "We are advising those due to take flights today to turn up as normal. | A spokesman said: "We are advising those due to take flights today to turn up as normal. |
| "This is a busy day but it's not our most busy of the summer. We're hoping that delays will be kept to a minimum." | "This is a busy day but it's not our most busy of the summer. We're hoping that delays will be kept to a minimum." |
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