A United Airways flight from New Jersey to Brazil ended up circling over the Atlantic Ocean for almost two hours Wednesday and making an emergency touchdown due to a mechanical problem, flight officers mentioned.
Flight 149 departed from Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport at 11 p.m. ET Wednesday night time, certain for São Paulo–Guarulhos Worldwide Airport with 256 passengers on board, in keeping with the flight’s historical past.
The airplane skilled a “mechanical problem shortly after takeoff,” United Airways mentioned in a press release, revealing that preliminary upkeep inspection factors to a hydraulic pump problem.
“It remained within the air to burn gasoline after which landed safely,” the airline mentioned. “Passengers deplaned on the gate and a brand new plane is scheduled to depart this morning.”
A map of the flight’s historical past reveals the way it flew in repeated circles over the ocean off New Jersey’s coast earlier than touchdown again at Newark round 1 a.m.
The airplane, a Boeing 777-200, landed after the crew reported an “emergency,” the Federal Aviation Administration mentioned, noting that an investigation was underway.
