Delta flight DL195 turned back to Barcelona’s El Prat airport shortly after takeoff when smoke began pouring from one of its engines. The crew spotted the problem, stopped climbing and called for an emergency landing.
The incident happened Friday morning. Protección Civil and airport sources confirmed the sequence of events. Firefighters and emergency teams rushed to the runway as the aircraft headed back to El Prat. The Airbus A330-300 was bound for Atlanta. EFE and Infobae both reported these details.
By 13:30, the plane had cleared the runway and the emergency was over. No one on board was hurt, and the plane was not damaged, information from official reports. The response was fast and well coordinated. AeroInside described the technical fault as an engine compressor stall, which caused the smoke and triggered the emergency.
Protección Civil de la Generalitat activated the AEROCAT emergency plan, putting the airport on alert for possible air traffic problems. Flights were briefly disrupted. EL PERIÓDICO reported that some witnesses saw flames near the engine. A few passengers said a bird strike might have caused the problem, but officials have not confirmed that theory.
The incident highlights the role of technical checks and emergency drills. Several Spanish media outlets noted that the emergency happened the same day as another aviation scare in Valencia, renewing attention to aviation safety across Spain.
