Arsenal team plane bursts into flames on runway during takeoff to London

A plane carrying the Arsenal women’s team back to London after a Champions League match, burst into flames as it was about to take off, forcing the players and staff to remain in Germany.

Photos show flames shooting from an engine on the Boeing 737 on the runway at Braunschweig Wolfsburg Airport in Germany.

The 7.30pm Sunday, April 23 flight was due to take off just a few hours after Arsenal secured a 2-2 draw against VfL Wolfsburg in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.

The plane made a loud bang just before it was about to take off on April 23, according to reports.

Horrified pilots saw the blaze and quickly pulled the plane up on the tarmac to evacuate all the passengers.

An airport spokesman told German newspaper BILD a bird strike on the engine had caused the fire.

The airport official added that nobody was hurt during the incident.

The team and Arsenal staff were put up in a nearby hotel. They were then flown back to London on Monday on another plane.