Norwich Airport was temporarily closed on Friday morning after a light aircraft caught fire on the runway during take-off, forcing the cancellation and delay of several flights.
The incident occurred at about 8:30 a.m., when a small engine fire broke out in the aircraft.
Emergency services were immediately deployed, and the runway was closed. Airport authorities expect operations to resume by 12:30 p.m.
A spokesperson for Norwich Airport confirmed the incident, urging passengers to check with their airlines for updated travel information.
Although initial reports sparked concern, the East of England Ambulance Service and Norfolk Constabulary later stood down, with officials confirming no injuries.
An eyewitness told the Eastern Daily Press that the aircraft’s propellers appeared bent and its landing gear was not visible. “We could tell something was wrong. We heard ‘crash! crash!’ over the radios,” the witness said.
Flight schedules were disrupted, with a KLM service to Amsterdam cancelled and a Loganair flight to Aberdeen delayed by nearly three hours. A KLM flight from Amsterdam was also cancelled, while a TUI arrival from Corfu was pushed back by about 15 minutes.
The remaining seven scheduled flights are expected to operate as planned.
The incident comes just weeks after a similar emergency landing at Birmingham Airport led to significant travel delays.