A Delta Air Lines flight on its way to Moscow had to return to New York JFK airport after its wings reportedly caught fire.
The Boeing 767 aircraft dumped fuel in the Atlantic before turning back to JFK shortly after take-off last night.
Emergency crews were waiting for the aircraft on arrival but none of the 200 passengers or crew on board were injured.
The incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
According to reports in the US press, it was one of three emergency landings involving Delta Air Lines over the weekend.
All ended in safe landings without injuries but are being investigated by the airline and US safety experts.
Another Boeing 767 aircraft, travelling from Atlanta to Los Angeles on Sunday, had to turn back after reporting an engine problem.
On Saturday, a Delta Boeing 757 made an emergency landing in Shannon, Ireland, after developing problems with one of its two engines on its way to Philadelphia.
A spokesman for Delta said: “It’s too early to speculate about the exact causes of each of these incidents. Safety is our top priority and we investigate each event thoroughly in conjunction with the relevant government authorities to make this assessment.”
By Bev Fearis
