Smoke billows from plane wing after engine catches fire during take-off

Terrified passengers watched from the windows as smoke billowed from a plane’s wing after the engine caught fire during take-off.

As many as 309 passengers and 12 crew members were onboard the Boeing 767 operated by Russian carrier Azur Air as it moved down the runway at Phuket International Airport in southern Thailand.

“Two explosions” were heard before smoke erupted from the right engine, forcing the pilot to abort the take-off, having been due to fly to Moscow on Saturday.

Passengers were then safely evacuated from the damaged plane.

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