Montevideo, Uruguay: A LATAM Airlines Chile Airbus A320 safely returned to Montevideo, Uruguay, after suffering an apparent engine malfunction shortly after departure on Thursday, July 2, forcing the crew to discontinue the climb and conduct a precautionary landing.
The aircraft, operating Flight LA2399 from Carrasco International Airport (MVD), Montevideo, to Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM), Lima, Peru, had just departed Runway 25 when the aircraft’s right CFM56 engine reportedly began emitting flames shortly after becoming airborne.
According to aviation incident reports, the flight crew halted the climb at approximately 3,000 feet, entered a holding pattern to complete the required emergency procedures, and subsequently returned to Montevideo. The Airbus A320-200 landed safely on Runway 25 about 90 minutes after takeoff.
The aircraft involved was an Airbus A320-200, registered CC-BLE, operated by LATAM Airlines Chile.
Uruguay’s Air Force confirmed that the aircraft experienced a malfunction in one of its engines. Videos circulating on social media showed flames and sparks from the right engine during the initial climb, although authorities have not confirmed the exact cause of the malfunction. Some eyewitness accounts suggested the possibility of a bird strike, but no official investigation has attributed the incident to bird ingestion.
Following the safe landing, the scheduled flight to Lima was cancelled, and the aircraft remained grounded in Montevideo for technical inspections. The cause of the engine malfunction remains under investigation
