A United Airlines flight bound for Hawaii was forced into a emergency landing after debris from the aircraft plunged towards homes in Denver.
Debris from Flight 328 between the capital of Colorado and Honolulu was spotted strewn across a residential area in Broomfield, including the engine rim and what appeared to be parts of the engine casing.
The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) said that the Boeing 777-200 returned to Denver International Airport and landed safely after experiencing a “right-engine failure” after take-off.
Police have been sharing images of the debris in the town. Pic: Broomfield Police
Pictures show the casing of the plane’s engine completely fallen away. Pic: @speedbird5280 via Reuters
In a separate statement, United said that 231 passengers were on board at the time, with 10 crew, but released no further details.
The local police department in Broomfield, which is around 25 miles (40km) from Denver, posted several photos on social media of what is believed to be debris from the plane, with the large rim of the plane’s engine appearing to narrowly miss a house in the town.
Officers are asking anyone who has been injured by falling debris to come forward, with the force issuing a “code red” to nearly 1,400 residents asking them to check their yards for parts of the plane.
The National Transportation Safety Board has been tasked with the investigation into what happened, and has asked that all debris remains in the place it was found.
A number of videos have been shared online, including one from someone whose parents were purportedly on the flight, showing the engine engulfed in flames and missing its casing.
Footage was also taken by Twitter user Tyler Thal of the plane flying low over Broomfield with pieces of the aircraft falling from it.
He told the Associated Press: “While I was looking at it, I saw an explosion and then the cloud of smoke and some debris falling from it.”
“It was just like a speck in the sky and as I’m watching that, I’m telling my family what I just saw and then we heard the explosion,” he added.
“The plane just kind of continued on and we didn’t see it after that.”
Boeing, the plane’s manufacturer, declined to comment, instead referring Sky News to United Airlines.