Arsenal Women’s Team Plane Bursts Into Flames With Players Aboard

The plane was evacuated after catching fire on the runway.

Arsenal's travel plans to return back to London were postponed after its airplane caught fire before takeoff on Sunday. 

The players were reportedly on board when the plane’s left wing caught on fire on the runway at Braunschweig Wolfsburg Airport. Arsenal’s women’s squad, which was flying home after the team’s Champions League clash against VfL Wolfsburg, evacuated the plane and rescheduled a return trip for Monday.

According to The Guardian, the fire was caused by a bird flying into one of the Boeing 737 aircraft’s engines. The pilot was forced to abandon takeoff and evacuate the flight’s passengers.

Arsenal released a statement regarding the incident, saying, “Our aircraft developed a technical issue prior to take-off in Germany on Sunday evening. As a result, we remained in Wolfsburg overnight on Sunday before flying back to England on Monday afternoon. We would like to thank the staff on board the aircraft and on the ground at the airport for their assistance.”

Arsenal was in Germany for its semifinal clash against Wolfsburg in the Women’s Champions League, during which it erased a 2–0 deficit in order to secure a 2–2 draw. The second leg of the semifinal fixture will be held at the Emirates Stadium in London on Monday, May 1.