A Delta Airlines flight heading from Madrid to New York took an unexpected turn, leaving nearly 300 passengers and crew members grounded overnight on a remote island in the Atlantic Ocean.
Flight 127 departed Spain on Sunday, July 6, en route to JFK International Airport. However, partway through the journey, the Airbus A330 experienced a mechanical issue involving one of its engines.
“The flight had to divert to Lajes, Azores (TER) after indication of a mechanical issue with an engine,” Delta said in a statement.
The emergency landing brought the plane to Terceira, part of Portugal’s Azores archipelago — a remote group of islands situated about 1,000 miles from mainland Europe.
A total of 282 passengers and 13 crew members were onboard at the time. After landing safely, Delta reported that everyone “deplaned via stairs at TER” and “were accommodated overnight in area hotels and provided meals.”
Passengers spent the night on the island, with some sharing their experiences of the sudden layover and limited resources. But by Monday, Delta had arranged for a replacement aircraft to transport everyone off the island and resume the journey to New York.
“The flight landed safely, and we sincerely apologize to our customers for their experience and delay in their travels,” Delta said.
Though the situation was handled efficiently, the unexpected detour raised questions about in-flight engine safety and the challenges of emergency landings in remote areas.
Delta has not yet released details on the specific cause of the engine issue.
