New picture shows fire on BA passenger airplane as it landed at Heathrow Airport after engineers 'failed to lock doors on both engines'
Terrifying: Fire and smoke can be clearly seen on the BA flight as it approaches Heathrow Airport
This photo shows the terrifying moment a British Airways jet approaches Heathrow Airport for an emergency landing with its exposed engines on fire and streaming smoke.
The aircraft flew over homes making a huge loop over Watford before making an emergency landing back where it set off at Heathrow on May 24.
It is now believed two engineers, one of them a supervisor, have been suspended while an investigation is carried out. BA is looking into whether the wrong plane may have been signed off to fly, it has been reported. According to the Sunday Express, one of the members of staff was physically sick when he was interviewed and realised what had happened.
A report published on Friday found that doors on both engines of the plane had been left unlatched during
maintenance before the Oslo-bound Airbus A319 took off with 75 passengers and five crew. BA's maintenance is carried out by its own teams.
The report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said the fan cowl doors from both engines detached as the aircraft left the runway at Heathrow, puncturing a fuel pipe on the right engine.
Terror: Smoke is seen pouring off one of the engines as the British Airways flight heads for an emergency landing at Heathrow
Emergency: Passengers and crew escaped from the British Airways plane as emergency crews surrounded the stricken plane
The starboard engine appears charred as the plane sits on the runway after making the emergency landing
A picture taken from inside the aircraft (left)
which shows the engine on the port side of the plane. Passengers have
said the fire could be seen coming from the starboard engine
Remnants of the fan cowl doors were recovered from the runway and the right engine was extensively fire-damaged.
The airline has so far not offered compensation to passengers or 25,000 other travellers whose journeys were cancelled as a result of the incident.
The AAIB and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin have demanded closer checks and it is believed a warning light could be added to the cockpit displays to show unsecured cowls.
Keith Williams, BA chief executive, told the Sunday Express: 'We can confirm that appropriate initial action has already been taken in accordance with the AAIB's safety recommendation to Airbus.
'We regret we are precluded from releasing or discussing any additional details while the AAIB investigation is ongoing.'
The path the BA flight took over London on May 24 before it made an emergency landing
