An airliner full of Israeli tourists was evacuated of
passengers Tuesday night at a Bucharest airport moments before takeoff, as a
fire broke out.
The passengers' cabin became filled with smoke, causing one man
to sustain a smoke inhalation injury that necessitated his hospitalization.
After the fire was extinguished the passengers at first refused to return to
their sits, but airport staff finally convinced them to do so and the plane
took off.
The website of the Ben Gurion Airport notified a chartered
flight of the Romanian carrier Ten Airways that was set to land at 2.45 am will
instead land at 4.30 am.
One of its passengers told Ynet that "when we
were boarding the plane I saw blazes at one side of the plane, and we felt a
strong smell emanating from it.
I told an attendant I'm not going on that plane
and I took my daughters off. Then an inspector arrived and took everyone off
the plane. There was fear it might explode."
"Everyone was pulled out hysterically," the
witness further added. "One of the passengers lost consciousness and was
evacuated to a local hospital.
There are some 200 Israelis here who are waiting
to depart to Israel, and we're waiting with no apparent solution in sight. No
one tells us what's next."
The witness then said
the problem was fixed. Another passenger told of a number of people suffering
smoke inhalation injuries who were treated on the spot by medical staff.
Another bout of panic broke out as airport crew offered the
Israelis to board the plane after the problem was repaired.
However, airport
staff said they could provide an alternative arrangement to those who do not
wish to fly the plane, though they assured everyone the problem in the engine
starter was completely repaired.
Finally, the majority of the passengers
accepted the assurance of airport officials and boarded the plane.
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