Air New Zealand flight Makes Emergency Landing at Wellington Airport Following Engine Fire | WATCH

Wellington: An Air New Zealand flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Wellington Airport this afternoon after an fire broke out at the engine on Sunday.

Dramatic footage of the incident was captured live showed the plane's approach, with thick smoke emanating from one of its engines shortly after 4 p.m.

Fire and Emergency services were notified but were later stood down, as the "Crash Fire" teams had already extinguished the flames.

Live videos from the scene reveal passengers evacuating by jumping about a meter from the plane's doors onto the tarmac.

A witness reported that passengers are now gathered on a grassy area beside the runway. "The ambulance has left the scene, but two large fire trucks and several smaller emergency vehicles remain present," the witness said.

An Air New Zealand spokesperson confirmed that flight NZ5366 was en route from Christchurch to Wellington. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

According to a Wellington Airport spokesperson, the runway has been cleared and flights are resuming normal operations. However, passengers are advised to check with their airlines for any potential disruptions.