Spirit Airlines plane catches fire in New Jersey after a large bird strikes one of its engines as it tries to take off
- A Spirit Airlines plane caught fire at Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey.
- The airline told Insider that a large bird entered one of the engines, prompting an evacuation.
- Officials said that two people suffered minor injuries, Fox29 Philadelphia reported.
A Spirit Airlines plane caught fire after a bird flew into one of its engines as it tried to take off.
The incident occurred on Saturday at Atlantic City International Airport as flight 3044 prepared to fly to Fort Lauderdale.
In a statement to Insider, an airline spokesperson said the plane stopped before leaving the ground after a "large bird entered one of the plane's engines."
The plane was brought to a halt and its crew safely evacuated 102 passengers and seven crew members, Fox29 Philadelphia reported. Two people suffered minor injuries, according to officials.
"The captain braked safely and brought the plane to a stop, received an indication of damage to the engine, and ordered an evacuation in accordance with our standard procedures," the airline said.
"Our guests will receive full refunds, a future travel voucher, and the option of travelling to Fort Lauderdale on another plane tonight," it added.
In a tweet, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said: "We're closely monitoring an aircraft incident that happened tonight at @ACYAirport."
The airport remained closed hours after the fire as officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board investigated the incident.
It is not the first time a plane has caught fire this year. In February, a United Airlines plane was filmed soaring through the sky with one engine on fire, although it went on to land safely at a Denver airport, Insider's Michelle Mark reported.
In that incident, the Boeing 777-200 plane dropped debris throughout several Colorado neighbourhoods, including one huge piece of metal that narrowly missed someone's home.