Delta flight aborts takeoff at Atlanta airport, forcing passengers to evacuate on slides; 4 injured

At least four people were injured Friday morning after a Minneapolis-bound Delta Airlines flight aborted its takeoff at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, airport officials said.

Approximately 200 passengers evacuated the plane through emergency slides and some were seen running through the snow and away from the aircraft, according to the airline and a video obtained by CBS affiliate WANF. The plane had experienced an engine problem, Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant said. 

The incident happened while a snowstorm was causing widespread cancellations and delays in Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport. But officials can’t say if the problem had anything to do with the weather.

The 201 passengers, two pilots and five flight attendants aboard evacuated the Boeing 757-300 using inflatable slides and were bused back to a concourse. One of the injured passengers was taken to a hospital, while three were treated at the airport for minor injuries.

Durrant said the flight crew “followed established procedures to suspend the takeoff.”

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our people and customers, and we apologize to our customers for their experience,” Durrant said. “We are working to support our customers and get them to their destinations as safely and quickly as possible.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate.

All five of the runways at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport were closed for at least a time on Friday and Delta said at noon on Friday that it had already canceled about 500 flights at the airport. The airline said in a news release that snow “began earlier and with heavier intensity than forecast, which reduced deicing capability and slowed operations.”

Delta said customers could rebook without paying additional costs, and that more flights might be canceled or rescheduled.