Terrified passengers film plane’s engine cover breaking apart mid-air

This is the moment terrified passengers watched on as a plane's engine cover broke apart mid-air.

Shocking footage shows the metal panel of the ATR 72-600 aircraft flapping violently, exposing the internal engine components on Friday, May 16 over Taiwan.

The incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Kaohsiung International Airport.

Passengers on board Mandarin Airlines flight AE301, bound for Kinmen, became alarmed when the plane began to shake from the issue with the turbopropeller engine.

The pilots quickly declared an in-flight emergency and returned the aircraft to Kaohsiung, where it landed safely.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause.