United Dreamliner flight makes emergency landing a month after new plane introduced
PA
Just a month after its first flight, Unites Airlines' new 787 Dreamliner was forced to make an emergency landing due to a mechanical issue.
The Daily Mail reports that United flight 1146 from Houston to Newark was diverted to New Orleans on Tuesday for an unspecified mechanical problem.
The plane, carrying 174 passengers and 10 crew members, was greeted by emergency staff in Louisiana but there were no reports of injuries.
Passenger Craig Bloodworth, who was on the flight to Newark that was diverted, tweeted that 'emergency trucks greeted us on the runway.'
A United statement read: 'The Boeing 787 aircraft landed safely and without incident.
'We are re-accommodating the customers on a different aircraft to Newark.'
It added that the airline 'will work with Boeing to review the diversion and determine the cause.'
United's launch of the Dreamliner came in November after Boeing started delivering the jets following more than three years of delays.
Over 800 have been sold to airlines worldwide, with Boeing saying they are more fuel efficient than comparable jets.
In February there was an incident where signs of 'delamination' occurred on a support structure in the Dreamliner's rear fuselage.
According to the Daily Mail, an inspection was launched and Boeing responded by examining assembled Dreamliners for similar signs of stress. It insisted the jets were all safe.
Delamination occurs when repeated stress caused laminated composite materials to start separating.
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