This Wednesday, a portion of the passengers from an Iberia flight en route from Madrid to Miami finally arrived in Miami after a severe onboard incident forced the plane to make an emergency landing on August 20, just 15 to 20 minutes after takeoff. The aircraft returned urgently to Adolfo Suárez Airport, managing a successful landing despite the harrowing experience.
The incident occurred shortly after 2 PM Spanish time, equivalent to 8 AM in Miami. "I thought those were my last moments on Earth; I even sent farewell messages to my family on WhatsApp," shared Merrye González, a Miami resident originally from Cuba, who was on the flight after connecting from Berlin. González detailed her ordeal first through a video call with journalist Mario Vallejo and later in person upon her arrival in Miami.
Firsthand Accounts of the Incident
"Moments of terror, a lot of fear, a lot of fear. We thought the worst. It was a moment where everything went through our minds because we were extremely scared," another passenger recounted to Vallejo. A third traveler described the experience as "horrible" and complained about being left stranded at the airport for about ten hours without any information.
"What we experienced today with Iberia was crazy! We departed from Madrid to Miami, everything was normal... until 15 minutes in, the pilot announced a problem. Suddenly, shouts of 'Fire!' and the smell of smoke filled the cabin. The plane dropped sharply several times, causing panic on board," wrote Mónica Sano on TikTok, one of the witnesses of the ordeal.
"The pilot decided to return to Madrid, avoiding a potential landing on the Mediterranean coast. After hours of tension, we landed safely," added Sano, who shared a video of the evacuation. The footage showed dozens of composed individuals, despite the circumstances, descending the aircraft's stairs towards a bus while firefighters and emergency personnel attended to the plane.
The 300 travelers on board experienced moments of terror as smoke began to emanate from the cabin and the air conditioning suddenly shut off. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, they detected the smell of burning and saw smoke emerging from the cabin. They described the plane as bumping and jolting as if hitting rocks, feeling as though it was plummeting, and passengers began to scream.
The Spanish news portal El Debate reported that the incident started a few minutes after takeoff due to "a problem with the air conditioning and pressurization systems," which the airline stated "could not have been foreseen." The source added that when these systems shut down, the smoke ceased, and although the aircraft could have continued its journey, "they returned to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport as per protocol."
Emergency Landing of Iberia Flight: Questions and Answers
The emergency landing of the Iberia flight has raised several questions among travelers and the general public. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions and their answers.
What caused the emergency landing of the Iberia flight?
The emergency landing was caused by a problem with the air conditioning and pressurization systems, which led to smoke in the cabin shortly after takeoff.
Were there any injuries during the incident?
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries during the incident. The passengers managed to land safely despite the terrifying experience.
How did the airline handle the situation after the emergency landing?
Passengers reported being stranded at the airport for about ten hours without any information, which led to complaints about the airline's handling of the situation.