Passengers Evacuated from Smoking El Al Jet Before Takeoff at Israeli Airport

An El Al jet taxiing before takeoff at Ben Gurion International Airport filled with smoke on Sunday, forcing passengers and crew to flee the aircraft on emergency slides, airport officials said.

The 128 passengers and crew members on the Zurich-bound 737 were evacuated after smoke began billowing out of vents on the plane, airport spokesman Yiftach Kramer said. No one was hurt in the mishap, the cause of which was still unknown, he said.

"The plane started taxiing before takeoff, and while it was taxiing the plane filled with smoke and there was a burnt smell," passenger Shlomi Safran told Army Radio.

"A second before the plane was about to take off, when we understood we had reached the point of no return, the plane was full of smoke and the pilot braked," Safran said. Within two minutes, he said, the passengers were evacuated on the plane's inflatable slides and were met by emergency crews on the runway.

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