A TUI flight leaving Edinburgh earlier today was forced to land moments after take-off.
Emergency crews were called to the runway after reports of the plane being 'too unsafe' to continue flying on Friday, May 26.
Horrified passengers watched on as fire crews met the plane as it touched down on the tarmac shortly after having only taken off, reports Edinburgh Live.
The plane was seen circling the Firth of Forth, as it failed to gain enough height when taking off due to an alleged technical fault.
When the plane made the emergency landing, emergency services carried out safety checks. Passengers were then safely evacuated before escorting them to the terminal.
One passenger onboard the aircraft said: "The flight was circling a large body of water then we had to go back to Edinburgh and land.
"We sat on the grounded plane for two hours before we were allowed off.
"The fire brigade was there waiting when we landed. Then they followed the plane to an area where it had parked far away from the terminal.
"They said it was a technical fault where the plane couldn't gain any more height to fly so it returned to Edinburgh.
"They checked the undercarriage of the plane with thermal imaging equipment once they were happy we were then bussed to the terminal but the plane stayed where it was."
An Edinburgh Airport spokesperson said: “Safety is paramount in aviation and our fire crews are highly trained and ready to respond to a range of incidents on the airfield as part of our standard operating procedures."
They added: “In this instance, the returning aircraft was overweight due to the amount of fuel on board, and crews responded to ensure safe arrival. Checks were carried out, no issues were found, and the incident was quickly stood down.”
TUI has also been approached for comment.
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