TUI passenger on the alarming moment he saw 'smoke coming from plane engine' at Manchester Airport

A passenger onboard a plane which caught fire at Manchester Airport has described the alarming moment he realised the aircraft's engine was alight. Jonathan Butler, 23, was returning home after a holiday with his partner in Menorca when the blaze was sparked, shortly after the plane - operated by an airline partner on behalf of TUI - landed at Terminal Two.

Fire crews were scrambled to the arrival stand after the plane suffered a 'technical fault'. They were pictured dousing the plane with water, with smoke seen bellowing out from the right engine.

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Mr Butler said the incident left him 'pretty shocked', but praised the airline's cabin staff for their professionalism. "The plane landed okay, but we were on the flight for a while afterwards," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"Then when I looked to my right I could see smoke coming out of the engine. Then the captain came on and said there had been an oil spillage. They asked the cabin crew to disembark and they then got everyone off the plane as quickly as possible.

"The crew were really professional. But we had to get off without our luggage and we are now still waiting for it at the airport and there are massive delays.

"It was bit worrying with all the emergency services there. There were fire engines everywhere. I’m a bit of an anxious flyer, so it definitely didn’t help."

A TUI spokesperson confirmed the aircraft was met by the fire service following a 'technical fault' on arrival. They added that no injuries had been reported.

Several holidaymakers reported that planes were temporarily unable to land or take off from the airport following the emergency onboard the aircraft, which had been