LATAM flight aborts takeoff in Santiago, Chile after engine fire

A LATAM Airlines flight bound for Asunción, Paraguay was forced to abort takeoff at a Chilean airport, according to the country’s civil aviation authority. Emergency crews responded, and all passengers were safely evacuated.

The incident occurred on Monday at Santiago’s international airport shortly before the scheduled 2:30 p.m. departure of Flight LA1325, operated by an Airbus A320 registered PR-MAG. According to Chile’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), the pilot aborted the takeoff after detecting a fire in one of the engines.

Fire and rescue services at the airport initiated emergency procedures, and passengers were disembarked without injury.

LATAM Airlines Paraguay said the aircraft experienced “a technical event” at the start of the takeoff process and confirmed that all safety protocols were followed. The aircraft returned to the gate and all passengers were rebooked on another flight scheduled for later in the day.

“LATAM Airlines Paraguay regrets the inconvenience this situation may have caused to the travel plans of its passengers,” the airline stated.

Flight data from Flightradar24 shows that the scheduled flight from Santiago (SCL) to Asunción (ASU) was canceled, and the aircraft involved is operated by LATAM Brasil. The Airbus A320 carries the Mode S code E47EA0. The number of passengers aboard the aircraft has not been disclosed.

A separate LATAM Chile flight, also numbered 1325, sustained damage in October 2022 after encountering a hailstorm en route to Asunción. The aircraft diverted to Brazil before continuing to Paraguay, where damage to the windshield, radome, and an engine was documented. It remains unclear whether the aircraft involved in the current incident is the same.