An American Airlines flight bound for Phoenix from Philadelphia made an emergency landing on Sunday at Washington Dulles International Airport after smoke was seen coming from a passenger’s device on board.
Device Caught Fire Mid-Air
Flight 357, carrying 160 passengers, six crew members, and two pilots, was diverted to Dulles after a smoke alert. The airline confirmed the aircraft landed safely, and no injuries were reported.
According to American Airlines, the passenger’s device began smoking, but the crew acted quickly to contain the fire before landing. The airline did not specify what type of device caused the incident, as reported by ABC News.
Emergency Response on the Ground
After landing, emergency teams met the aircraft on the runway, and all passengers and crew were deboarded safely. Fox News noted that airline staff handled the situation calmly and professionally.
American Airlines released a statement praising its crew:
“We appreciate the professionalism of our crew and thank our team who are working to get our customers to their destination as quickly as possible.”
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority confirmed that the diversion did not affect other flight operations at Dulles.
FAA Investigation Underway
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the passenger device fire, ensuring the safety of future flights.
