Passengers evacuate American Airlines plane on runway after mechanical issue, airline says

Passengers were seen evacuating an American Airlines plane on the runway of Denver International Airport on Saturday (July 26) as smoke billowed from the belly of the aircraft.

Eyewitness footage showed passengers evacuating through emergency slides from the fore and aft doors of the aircraft, some carrying small children.

American Airlines told Reuters in a statement that the plane experienced "a mechanical issue on take off roll at Denver International Airport", that involved an "aircraft tire". It added that all 173 passengers and six crew exited the plane safely and the aircraft was handed over to the company's maintenance team.

Denver International Airport posted on its X page that the airport's First Responders and the Denver Fire Department responded to a reported issue with Flight AA3023 on a runway.

It said five people were evaluated for injury at the scene and one was transported to hospital.

The Denver Fire Department said in a post on X that crews extinguished a fire while responding to the incident.

According to aircraft tracker service, Flightradar24.com, American Airlines Flight AA3023, which was scheduled to operate from Denver to Miami, started its take off at around 1:15 p.m. Mountain Time (GMT 2015) before coming to a halt in the middle of the runway.

Video credit: @HIGHLYMIGRATORYFISHING, INSTAGRAM, CNN, @highlymigratoryfishing/Instagram