NEWARK, N.J. (AP/WCMH) — A United Airlines flight bound for Italy has been canceled after fuel gushed from one of its wings as it taxied to the runway at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The spill occurred Tuesday night. Witnesses said the fuel came from the edge of the plane’s left wing, but it wasn’t clear what caused the leak, where it originated or how much fuel was spilled.
Video posted to Twitter by Rachel Brumfield shows fuel gushing from the wing.
Brumfield said it took several attempts to get the flight crew to pay attention to the leak.
“He’s like, ‘But something’s not right.” They said, ‘Is it an emergency?’ He said, ‘I don’t know,’ so they said, ‘Go sit down.’ They said, ‘Everything’s normal,’” Rachel told the New York Post.
The crew then looked out the window for themselves and rushed to the cockpit.
Authorities say Flight 170 was scheduled to depart for Venice at 6:55 p.m. Passengers aboard the plane were put up in a hotel overnight, and the airline was hoping to book them on a new flight Wednesday.
