A Delta Air Lines flight bound for Columbia, South Carolina, was forced to return to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Monday morning after the crew reported smoke in the cabin. The Boeing 717, operating as Flight 876, was in the air for just over 10 minutes before making an emergency landing.
The incident occurred shortly after takeoff, with data from Flightradar24 showing the plane turning back about five minutes into the flight. LiveATC.net communications captured a pilot declaring an emergency at 3,000 feet. "Got smoke in the cabin and need to plan a return back," he said. "Have the fire trucks roll for us, please." He added that there were 99 people on board.
Video footage from inside the aircraft showed the cabin filling with haze, prompting immediate action from the flight crew. Upon landing, passengers evacuated using emergency slides, with some standing on the aircraft's wings. Images circulating on social media depicted the dramatic scene.
Delta Airlines issued a statement confirming the emergency and expressing regret over the disruption. "The flight crew followed procedures to return to Atlanta when a haze inside the aircraft was observed after departure," the airline stated. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, and we apologize to our customers for the experience."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the plane landed safely and confirmed it would be investigating the cause of the incident. The nature of the haze or smoke has not yet been determined.
Delta arranged alternative transportation and rebooking options for affected passengers. The airline did not immediately respond to further requests for comment.
The incident follows a series of recent aviation scares in the U.S. On Sunday, an American Airlines flight traveling from New York's JFK Airport to New Delhi was diverted and escorted by Italian fighter jets due to a "security concern." Earlier this month, a Delta flight burst into flames upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport, though all passengers survived.
Aviation safety concerns have been heightened in recent weeks following a collision between an American Airlines plane and a military Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., resulting in 67 fatalities. Days later, a medical ambulance flight crashed in Philadelphia, killing seven people.
