Listen to this article
Estimated 2 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
A China Airlines cargo plane headed to Anchorage, Alaska, from Chicago was forced to stop in Whitehorse early Saturday morning.
In a statement posted to social media just after 7 a.m. local time, a spokesperson from the Whitehorse International Airport said the diversion took place due to a “smoke indication onboard” and that emergency crews are on scene.
“The aircraft landed safely and all crew are safe, with no injuries or fire reported,” the statement said.
Online flight trackers show crew aboard the Boeing 747 declared an emergency in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Pierre Bejin had just boarded a flight bound for Vancouver before 5 a.m. when the plane landed on the Whitehorse airport runway, with some passengers reporting seeing smoke.
“It was sitting in the middle of the runway with full emergency action taking place, firefighters were deployed,” said Bejin.
Bejin says the cargo plane was towed off the runway and his flight was able to take off after about an hour.
As of Saturday afternoon, the China Airlines plane is still at the airport but flights out of Whitehorse are scheduled to depart on time.
China Airlines did not respond to a request for comment, and security at the Whitehorse airport said they were not authorized to speak with media.
