Flight declares mid-air emergency as fire erupts moments after Gatwick take-off

Flight declares mid-air emergency as fire erupts moments after Gatwick take-offTAP Air Portugal TP1329, bound for Porto, was forced to turn back to London Gatwick Airport after a fire erupted on board - with smoke seen pouring out of an overhead luggage compartmentCommentsNewsZahra Khaliq News Reporter, Natalia Penza News Correspondent and Ethan Blackshaw Deputy Publishing Lead10:43, 05 Apr 2026Updated 10:52, 05 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesThe plane declared an emergency after taking off from GatwickA plane was forced to turn back to Gatwick Airport just minutes after take-off due to a fire erupting on board.‌Crew on TAP Air Portugal TP1329, bound for Porto, transmitted a Squawk 7700 - the international code for a general emergency - after smoke began pouring out of one of the overhead luggage compartments.‌Emergency responders were waiting on the ground and passengers disembarked before the plane was taken to a remote stand for technical assessment. Overnight, Portuguese air and safety investigators revealed an e-cigarette had been to blame.‌The Lisbon-based Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Accidents in Civil Aviation and Rail said: "During the initial climb, before reaching 10,000ft, the cabin crew, who were in the rear of the aircraft, detected a strong burning smell and immediately informed the purser.View 2 ImagesFlight-tracking data shows the plane performed a loop before landing at Gatwick(Image: AirNav Radar)"He instructed them to contact the cockpit and reinforced the cabin crew in the area of the event. During this period, twelve passengers stood up and blocked the aisle.‌"A piece of hand luggage stowed in the overhead bin was found to be on fire, the cabin crew discharged a portable fire extinguisher and rapidly extinguished the flames, following which the smoke dissipated."The aircraft returned to London Gatwick Airport, after approximately 14 minutes of flight, for inspection. The firefighting team inspected the affected area,...