Nearly 300 Delta Air Lines passengers, including 13 crew members, were left stranded overnight on a remote Atlantic island after their flight from Madrid to New York developed engine trouble on July 6.
The aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Lajes, a civil parish on Portugal’s Azores islands, following what the airline described as “a mechanical issue with an engine.” The Boeing jet was en route to John F. Kennedy International Airport when the incident occurred mid-air.
Delta confirmed that 282 passengers were on board at the time of the diversion. Upon landing safely at Lajes Airport (TER), all those on board disembarked via stairways and were taken to nearby hotels for overnight accommodation. The airline said meals were also provided while a replacement aircraft was arranged.
The next day, the stranded passengers continued their journey to New York on a different Delta plane.
This incident adds to a string of recent troubles for the airline. In February, Delta was involved in a crash landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport, where 18 people were injured. In response to that incident, Delta reportedly offered $30,000 to each passenger affected.
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