Passenger plane engine catches fire after take-off in Indonesia

A passenger plane experienced an engine fire after take-off at the airport in South Kalimantan of Borneo Island on Friday, but no casualty has been reported so far, a spokesman of the transport ministry said.

The accident took place at 12:00 p.m. Jakarta time after the Kalstar ATR 72 aircraft took off at Sjamsuddin Noor airport in Banjarmasin city, all the 36 people on board were rescued safely, Julius Avirada Barata said.

"The plane had an engine fire after the take-off. However, it returned to the airport and landed smoothly with a single engine," he told Xinhua via telephone.

"All the 36 passengers and crews have been rescued safely. Based on a procedure, all of them were shifted to a hospital for a medical check-up, it is only a procedure," Barata said.

The national search and rescue office also confirmed that there were no people injured in the accident, Marsudi, spokesman of the national search and rescue office, told Xinhua via phone.

The plane was heading to Kota Baru town, according to Barata.

The aircraft has been towed and parked inside a hangar.

Source: XINHUA