Plane with 296 people on board forced to land in Portugal as smoke appears in cabin
A Boston-bound Delta Air Lines jet made an emergency landing in Porto, Portugal, on Sept. 27 after smoke appeared in the passenger cabin, sending four passengers to a hospital.
Fourteen passengers aboard Flight DL251 required medical aid following the safe landing of the aircraft at Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport in Portugal, according to a representative of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority. The four individuals who were hospitalized were treated for minor injuries sustained from smoke inhalation at Sao Joao Hospital in Porto.
The Airbus A330-300, carrying 296 people, had departed from Barcelona, with 12 passengers needing supplemental oxygen during the flight. Delta Airlines reported the diversion was due to a mechanical issue, though no further specifics were provided by the carrier. The cause of the smoke in the cabin remained unknown at press time.
Airport operator ANA Aeroportos de Portugal stated the plane had diverted for technical reasons, with the scheduled flight to Boston set to resume on September 28. The emergency protocols were triggered, and Correio da Manha reported that 67 firefighters from various districts of Porto were present on the scene. Flights at the airport were briefly suspended during the incident.
The aircraft in question is approximately 11 years old and had joined Delta's fleet in June 2015, as per data from aviation news outlet The Aviation Hub. Delta, the world's largest airline by revenue, reported a record $63.4 billion in earnings for 2025, according to Aviation Week. Through its Delta Connection regional affiliates, the company operates up to 5,500 flights daily to over 300 destinations across six continents, as outlined on its official website.
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