A Condor Airlines Boeing 757 made headlines recently when its right engine began emitting bright sparks and flames shortly after takeoff from Corfu, Greece. Flight DE3665, carrying 273 passengers and crew, was en route to Düsseldorf when the emergency unfolded. Eyewitnesses spotted the fiery display and video footage quickly circulated, showing a stream of sparks underneath the aircraft’s engine nacelle. Emergency procedures kicked in swiftly and the crew diverted to Brindisi, Italy, where the aircraft landed safely without injuries. All passengers were subsequently flown to Düsseldorf the next day.
According to flight tracking data, the aircraft lifted off around 20:19 local time. Within moments, turbulence from a possible bird strike appears to have disrupted airflow into the engine, creating what looked like a fire but was likely a compressor stall or backfire rather than a full conflagration. Condor confirmed that a turbine airflow disturbance triggered an alert, leading the crew to shut down the affected engine and divert immediately as a precaution.
At the airport in Brindisi, emergency teams were ready on the tarmac. The aircraft taxied safely to the terminal and all aboard disembarked without injury. Because of limited hotel capacity in the area, some passengers were accommodated in what was available at short notice, with Condor arranging vouchers and amenities for affected travelers.
From an engineering standpoint, the incident highlights the importance of rapid diagnostic tools and redundancy systems in aircraft engine control. Modern turbofan engines include sophisticated sensors to detect anomalies like pressure drops or airflow disruptions, triggering immediate shutdowns to avoid runway events or in-flight catastrophes. The Boeing 757 is an aging platform, debuting in the early 1980s, but its safety record remains strong thanks to rigorous maintenance requirements and robust design.
That said, the event joins a string of recent engine-related incidents in Boeing aircraft that have amplified concerns about aging airframes and fleet-wide health monitoring. While none of these events resulted in casualties, they underscore the importance of proactive inspection, especially around components prone to bird ingestion during low-altitude operations.