At least 18 people have been injured after a false fire warning sparked an evacuation of a Ryanair flight from Spain to the UK.
The plane’s take-off from Palma de Mallorca airport was cancelled at around 1am Saturday after a fire alarm was triggered.
It comes after multiple Spanish newspapers incorrectly reported that a fire had taken hold midair and forced the plane to land at Mallorca airport.
But a Ryanair spokesperson told the Spanish Eye: ‘This flight from Palma to Manchester (4 July) discontinued take-off due to a false fire warning light indication.
‘Passengers were disembarked using the inflatable slides and returned to the terminal. While disembarking, a small number of passengers encountered very minor injuries (ankle sprains, etc.) and crew requested immediate medical assistance.
‘To minimise disruption to passengers, we quickly arranged a replacement aircraft to operate this flight, which departed Palma at 07:05 this morning.
‘We sincerely apologise to affected passengers for any inconvenience caused.’
Footage shared online shows passengers climbing onto the wings in a bid to get to safety.
A total of 18 people have been reported as injured, with six of them requiring further attention at nearby medical centres.
Most of the injuries are minor and relate to sprains or muscle strains suffered during the hasty evacuation.
