Flyers stuck on remote US island for 31 hours after Delta flight engine glitch

A Delta Air Lines flight from Madrid to New York was forced to make an emergency landing on an island in the Atlantic Ocean due to engine problems, resulting in a delay of more than 31 hours, officials said Thursday according to NBC News.

Flight 127, an Airbus A330 carrying 282 passengers and 13 crew members, departed Madrid on Sunday en route to John F Kennedy Airport but diverted to Lajes Airport in the Azores (TER) following a mechanical issue with one of its engines, the airline said.

According to the airline, passengers and crew deplaned via stairs at TER and were accommodated overnight in local hotels, with meals provided, NBC News reported.

A replacement aircraft transported the passengers off the Portuguese island on Monday. The rescheduled flight departed at 9:07 pm GMT and arrived at JFK at 10:36 pm ET, according to flight tracking service FlightAware.

The unscheduled second leg of the trip lasted 5 hours and 29 minutes, concluding more than 31 and a half hours after the flight’s originally scheduled arrival time of just before 3 pm Sunday.

"The flight landed safely, and we sincerely apologise to our customers for their experience and delay in their travels,” Delta said.

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