Additional Coverage:
Newark Liberty International Airport experienced a temporary closure Wednesday night after a JetBlue Airbus A320 made an emergency landing due to an “engine issue” that led to smoke in the cabin. The incident prompted an evacuation of the aircraft and a subsequent ground stop for all inbound flights.
JetBlue Flight 543, bound for West Palm Beach, departed shortly after 5:30 p.m. EST but was forced to turn back approximately 17 minutes into its flight.
Upon landing, passengers were evacuated via slides. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The airport remained closed for just over an hour, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issuing a ground stop that was eventually lifted around 7 p.m. EST. The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident.
JetBlue confirmed that the aircraft encountered an engine problem, resulting in smoke in the cabin. Audio from the flight deck revealed a pilot requesting fire and rescue services upon landing to address concerns about the number one engine and reporting smoke in the rear of the aircraft.
Both JetBlue and the FAA have stated their commitment to investigating the precise sequence of events. JetBlue emphasized that safety is its top priority and pledged to cooperate fully with federal authorities.