A United Airlines flight bound for the United States was forced to turn around shortly after takeoff after a strong fuel odor reportedly left crew members and passengers suffering headaches and burning sensations.
United Flight UA316 departed Dublin Airport on Sunday afternoon bound for Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
The Boeing 757 climbed to about 31,000 feet and was approaching Ireland’s western coast when the crew declared an emergency and turned the aircraft around.
Air traffic control recordings indicate that the pilots reported a “very strong fuel odor” inside the aircraft.
The flight crew said they did not believe the plane was actively leaking fuel but decided it was not safe to continue across the Atlantic.
The situation became more concerning when people onboard began reporting physical symptoms.
The pilots told controllers that several people were experiencing strong headaches and a burning sensation in their nasal passages.
Five flight attendants were reportedly requesting medical attention, along with an unknown number of passengers.
The crew asked for emergency medical personnel to meet the plane when it returned to Dublin.
Because the aircraft had taken off carrying enough fuel for a transatlantic flight, the pilots also warned that they would be making an overweight landing.
A Boeing 757 does not have a system that allows it to dump large quantities of fuel in flight, meaning the crew had to return while the aircraft was still heavier than its normal landing weight.
The pilots requested the longest available runway at Dublin Airport.
Airport officials made Runway 28R available while fire crews, paramedics and other emergency personnel prepared for the plane’s arrival.
The jet landed safely shortly after 3 p.m., roughly 55 minutes after taking off.
Emergency crews and ambulance personnel met the aircraft after it taxied to the terminal.
Reports indicate that several crew members and passengers were assessed by medical personnel, although officials have not publicly released the total number of people who required treatment.
The flight was canceled following the incident.
The aircraft remained in Dublin while it underwent maintenance inspections to determine what caused the odor.
No fuel leak had been confirmed as of Monday.
The Boeing 757 involved in the incident, registered as N14118, was removed from service while United investigated the problem.
The flight had been scheduled to make the roughly seven-hour journey from Dublin to Newark before the emergency ended the trip less than an hour after departure.
United Airlines had not publicly identified the source of the odor as of Monday.
The incident remains under review.
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