Northern Ireland

Flybe plane made emergency landing at Belfast City Airport due to cracked windscreen

There was a major emergency services response to Belfast City Airport following a reported incident involving an aircraft. Picture: Alan Lewis
There was a major emergency services response to Belfast City Airport following a reported incident involving an aircraft. Picture: Alan Lewis There was a major emergency services response to Belfast City Airport following a reported incident involving an aircraft. Picture: Alan Lewis

A Flybe plane made an emergency landing at Belfast City Airport today after sustaining damage to its windscreen.

The aircraft operating from Leeds Bradford to Belfast City Airport was carrying 65 passengers when it landed safely, and on schedule, after a crack appeared on the right-hand side of the outer-layer of its windscreen.

There was a major emergency services response and police, fire and ambulance services were scrambled, following reports that there was an issue with one of the planes coming in to land.

Three RNLI lifeboats were also on standby in Belfast Lough.

The emergency services, which had raced to the incident during rush hour traffic, did not need to take any action and they were stood down at around 9am.

A Flybe spokesperson confirmed that nobody was injured during the incident.

"The captain took the necessary action and, as a usual precautionary measure, the airport put emergency vehicles on standby.

"The aircraft taxied without further incident to stand where all passengers disembarked as normal," the spokesperson said.