Caracas.- On Sunday afternoon, 92 passengers on a Laser Airlines flight in Venezuela were evacuated using emergency slides after smoke emerged from the aircraft’s fuselage.
The plane, bound for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, departed from Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state.
Social media video shows passengers exiting the plane quickly, with some even falling to the pavement. Venezuelan media outlets reported the incident, which was later confirmed by the National Civil Aeronautics Institute (INAC) of Venezuela.
According to INAC, passengers were transferred to the airport’s designated triage area and received medical attention. Laser Airlines provided a replacement aircraft to complete the flight after security protocols were followed and checked baggage was unloaded without issue.
“The neighboring country’s aeronautical security institution will conduct a thorough evaluation of safety protocols at Simón Bolívar International Airport and Laser Airlines to determine the cause of the incident and ensure the continued safety of civil aviation,” INAC officials stated in a social media post.