An easyJet flight was diverted to make an emergency landing on remote island in the Atlantic after taking off from Tenerife yesterday (Tuesday).
Passengers are reported to have started hyperventilating as the Airbus A320 plane, which was en-route to Gatwick, began its seven-minute descent.
Some 167 passengers and six crew were stranded on the island of Porto Santo for several hours before a replacement aircraft took them to London.
The captain reportedly told passengers after landing safely they had smelt burning and requested an immediate emergency landing.
An easyJet spokesman told the Mirror: “Flight EZY8704 from Tenerife South to London Gatwick diverted to Porto Santo due to a technical issue.
“The aircraft landed safely and once at its stand all passengers disembarked normally.
“The safety of its passengers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers’ guidelines.
“As Porto Santo airport doesn’t have restaurant facilities open, easyJet arranged coaches to take passengers to a nearby hotel and provide them with refreshments.
“EasyJet would like to thank passengers for their patience and apologise for the inconvenience caused by this delay.”