Engine fire forces Ethiopian Airlines jet to make emergency landing

Photos showed the jet surrounded by foam spray

An Ethiopian Airlines plane made an emergency landing when one its engines caught fire (Getty Images)

An Ethiopian Airlines plane was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after take-off when the engine caught fire.

The jet had just taken off from Dakar, Senegal, for Bamako in Mali when the pilot realised one of the plane engines was ablaze.

The Boeing 767 then returned immediately to Dakar.

The plane landed safely and none of the 90 people on board were injured.

Images posted on the Blaise Diagne International Airport’s official Twitter feed shows the plane surrounded by foam spray.

A statement from Ethiopian Airlines confirmed that flight ET908 had returned to the airport outside capital Dakar due to “technical problems”.

“We apologise to our valued customers who were onboard the flight for the inconvenience,” it said.

“All passengers are being rebooked on alternative flights.”

Last month, a Swoop Airlines plane made an emergency landing when it was struck by a flock of birds shortly after take-off, causing the engine to burst into flames.

Passengers onboard the domestic Canadian flight “started writing goodbye messages” to loved ones.