Ryanair Plane Fire in Spain: 18 Injured as Passengers Exit via Wing

Eighteen people have been injured after a fire on a Ryanair plane at Majorca's Palma airport. The small blaze broke out just after midnight this morning. Some passengers on board were filmed abandoning the plane via one of its wings before jumping to the tarmac as firefighters and police rushed to the scene.

Regional medical emergency response co-ordinators said 18 people needed assistance with what are being described locally as minor injuries. Six had to be taken to hospital. Three were reportedly taken to a private clinic in Palma called Clínica Rotger and the other three to Hospital Quironsalud Palmplanas which is also in the island capital.

It was not immediately clear what type of injuries they had suffered. It is also not yet clear if the Ryanair plane was about to take off or had just landed and where it had come from or was going to. Ryanair staff on board the plane are said to have alerted the emergency services, who received a call at 12.35am this morning.

Four ambulances were mobilised and sent to the scene along with airport-based firefighters and the Civil Guard. It was confirmed this morning the plane was about to leave the airport, although its destination is still not clear.

A confused airport worker was overheard telling a colleague in a walkie-talkie message: 'Do you know the plane has emergency exits?' as frightened travellers were filmed jumping to the tarmac from one of its wings in their rush to get away. He added: 'Plane about to leave from apron ten or eight and now the people are jumping from the wing onto the ground. Something's happening, something's happening, they're evacuating the plane. Now the firefighters are coming.'

The incident is said to have caused moments of great tension with the passengers seen jumping from the plane wing reportedly acting out of fear. Most travellers are understood to have exited the plane in a more orderly fashion.

A spokesman for a regional government-run emergency response coordination centre confirmed early this morning: 'We received an alert about a fire on a plane on the ground at Palma airport at 00.36am today. Four ambulances were sent to the scene which were two basic life support units and two advanced life support unit. Eighteen people were injured and received medical assistance of whom six were taken to hospital. They were all minor. Three went to the Clinica Rotger and three to the Palmaplanas Hospital.'

Ryanair have been contacted for comment. More as we get it. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.