A TRANSATLANTIC jet carrying US military personnel had to dump thousands of litres of aviation fuel over the ocean before returning to Shannon airport after suffering engine problems in flight.
Omni Air International flight OAE574, operating under contract to the US Department of Defence’s Air Mobility Command (AMC), had left Shannon at about 9.20am en route to Baltimore Washington International Airport when the pilot reported a problem with the starboard engine.
The aircraft was carrying over 300 US troops who were returning to the US from the Middle East. It was unclear last night whether the jet would have to remain grounded or if it would be able to continue its journey. If engineers were unable to resolve the problem last night, the troops were expected to be accommodated in local hotels overnight.
In December 2008, the same aircraft was at the centre of another drama at Shannon when it burst a tyre on landing and got stuck on the runway. The airport was closed for more than an hour after attempts to move the aircraft failed.
Omni Air International carries more than 200,000 troops through Shannon airport every year on almost 2,000 flights. The airline is involved in the transportation of military personnel and their families to and from overseas destinations, including Iraq and Afghanistan. At one time yesterday there were four Omni Air troop carriers on the ground at Shannon.
Yesterday the DC10-30 three-engined jet was about an hour into its journey when the pilot was forced to close down the engine before contacting air traffic controllers to advise them of the problem.