In this image taken from video provided by News12 New Jersey, Air Transat Flight 942 is towed along the runway at Newark Liberty International Airport, Saturday, March 9, 2019 in Newark NJ. The Boeing 737 with 189 passengers aboard made an emergency landing after a possible fire in the cargo hold was reported. Two passengers suffered minor injuries. No fire was found and the cause of the smoke remains under investigation. (News12 New Jersey via AP)
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Smoke reported on board an Air Transat flight forced an emergency landing Saturday at a New Jersey airport, where the 189 passengers were evacuated by emergency slides.
Air Transat Flight 942 was on its way from Montreal to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when it reported a possible fire in the cargo hold and was diverted to Newark Liberty International Airport at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, a Federal Aviation Administration representative said.
The Boeing 737 landed and remained on the runway while airport firefighters responded, and passengers evacuated via emergency slides, she said. Passengers were then taken by bus to the terminal.
“Our 189 passengers’ safety is our top priority and they were evacuated promptly upon landing,” said Debbie Cabana, Air Transat marketing director. Another aircraft was to be sent to Newark to operate the flight to Fort Lauderdale, she said.
Both runways were closed during what Newark Liberty called an “airport emergency,” but officials later announced that flights had resumed.
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