'Solution' To Ryanair Emergency Revealed

Volcanic ash deposits weren't the direct cause of an emergency landing at George Best Belfast City Airport earlier today.

Instead, the Ryanair plane to London Stansted was turned back for a "precautionary landing" because of cleaning fluid used to remove traces of the Icelanic ash from the engines.

A Ryanair said: "After take off cabin crew noticed an acrid smell and standard procedure was followed and the aircraft turned back and landed".

The spokesman also said that all 154 passengers disembarked safely at about 7.30am.

A full emergency was called and a spokesperson from Belfast City Airport confirmed that the emergency services were at the scene as a precaution.

This afternoon, the "acrid smell" which lead to the unscheduled landing was traced to chemicals used to clean the engines.

The engines had to be cleaned after traces of volcanic ash were found in them on Sunday.

Yesterday, Ryanair admitted that volcanic ash has been found in the engines of two of its aircraft located at George Best Belfast City Airport.

This came after Four Ryanair flights to England were cancelled at the airport on Sunday, leaving dozens of passengers stranded.

Initially, the airline said the planes all had separate technical problems unrelated to the Icelandic eruption.

But after further tests on Sunday, the airline confirmed that two of its aircraft at the City airport showed small traces of ash in their engines.

A Ryanair spokesman said yesterday that the planes would return to service later on Monday.

It is not known if the aircraft involved in the emergency today was one of those planes.

See: Ryanair Admits Belfast Engines Hit By Ash

(BMcC/GK)