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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Iona Young

Dramatic moment Edinburgh TUI plane forced to u-turn moments after take off

A TUI plane leaving Edinburgh for Corfu was forced to land moments after take-off.

Emergency services raced to the runway after the flight was deemed 'too unsafe' to continue its journey.

Worried passengers watched on as firefighters greeted the plane as it landed.

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The incident, which occurred on Friday, May 26, saw travellers circle the Firth of Forth, as the flight failed to gain enough height when taking off due to an alleged technical fault.

When the aircraft was grounded hero emergency services carried out safety checks and safely evacuated the passengers on board before escorting them to the terminal.

One passenger onboard the service said: "The flight was circling a large body of water then we had to go back to Edinburgh and land.

"We sat on the grounded plane for two hours before we were allowed off.

"The fire brigade was there waiting when we landed. Then they followed the plane to an area where it had parked far away from the terminal.

"They said it was a technical fault where the plane couldn't gain any more height to fly so it returned to Edinburgh.

"They checked the undercarriage of the plane with thermal imaging equipment once they were happy we were then bussed to the terminal but the plane stayed where it was."

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An Edinburgh Airport spokesperson said: “Safety is paramount in aviation and our fire crews are highly trained and ready to respond to a range of incidents on the airfield as part of our standard operating procedures."

They added: “In this instance, the returning aircraft was overweight due to the amount of fuel on board, and crews responded to ensure safe arrival. Checks were carried out, no issues were found, and the incident was quickly stood down.”

A spokesperson for TUI said: "We understand the frustration of customers on flight TOM 1596 and apologise for the delay experienced.

"Due to a potential technical issue, and with an abundance of caution, the aircraft returned to be inspected by engineers as the safety of our passengers and crew is always our upmost priority."

They added: "The landing weight of the aircraft was within the manufacturer's certification limits and a different aircraft was then used to take our customers on their holiday.

"We’d like to apologise again for any inconvenience caused, and thank customers for their patience and understanding."

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