Concorde in emergency landing

Concorde in emergency landing

Concorde's safety record has been in the spotlight in recent months

An Air France Concorde has made an emergency landing in Nova Scotia, Canada, after developing "a problem with one of its engines", the French airline has reported.

The plane, carrying 47 passengers and nine crew on a flight from Paris to New York, landed "without incident," at Halifax airport Air France said in a statement.

Flight AF 002 had to be cut short when it developed a malfunction in one of its four jet engines, Harvey Vardy, a spokesman for the Canadian Coastguard in Halifax said.

The passengers are to be transferred onto other flights to continue their onward journey to John F Kennedy airport in New York.

"Everything is being done to transport all the passengers to New York... as soon as possible," the company's statement said.

Engine shut down

The supersonic jet first reported a problem with one of its engines, Mr Vardy said. That engine, engine No 3, was then shut down.

Past incidents

12 January: Nose cone malfunctions

27 Nov 02: Part of tail rudder falls off

6 Nov 02: Engine fails, sparking panic

3 Nov 02: Plane turns round after engine failure

30 Oct 02: Speed cut after window cracks spotted

July 02: Turnaround after engine power surge

April 02: Engine failure causes mid-air 'bang'

March 02: Take-off abandoned after computer glitch

Nov 01: Flight aborted over engine reheats

However, the Concorde subsequently declared an emergency and requested permission to divert to Halifax, Mr Vardy said.

The ageing supersonic jet has been beset by a string of safety problems since it returned to the skies after being grounded for nearly a year and a half following a crash near Paris, which killed 113 people in July 2000.

In January this year, an Air France Concorde covering the same route between Paris and New York was forced to return to Charles de Gaul airport when the plane's nose cone was unable to move into position for supersonic speed.

Terrifying plunge

In November 2002, part of the rudder on a British Airways Concorde fell off as the plane was flying between London and New York.

And earlier that month passengers flying on an Air France Concorde had a scare as the pilot was forced to make the plane rapidly descend 8,000 metres (27,000 feet) after one of its jet engines failed.

An investigation concluded that the July 2000 disaster happened after a piece of metal lying on the runway burst one of plane's tyres.

Fragments from the damaged tyre ruptured the fuel tank, causing a devastating fire which downed the plane.

Air France and British Airways both grounded the supersonic jets after the incident.

Concorde flights resumed in November 2001.