Video: Boeing 737 Loses Wheel During Takeoff, Makes Emergency Landing

Boeing has yet again drawn controversy after its 737 aircraft had to make an emergency landing after losing a wheel during takeoff.

The incident took place on Sunday at the OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa's Johannesburg.

In a video shared by a user on social media platform X, smoke was seen coming out of one of the wheels as the FlySafair flight landed on the runway, shortly after taking off from the same airport.

Images on X also showed the undercarriage and right-wing partially damaged.

"The flight safely landed back at OR Tambo and no injuries were reported," FlySafair, a South African airline, said.

One of the airline's spokespersons said that the crew was alerted to the observation and the decision was taken to return to Johannesburg.

"FA212 adjusted course back for Johannesburg and entered a holding pattern near Parys to burn off some fuel to lighten the aircraft for landing," Kirby Gordon told local media.

The passengers were then loaded on a backup aircraft to Cape Town.

Boeing Under Scrutiny

Boeing has faced intense scrutiny since a near-catastrophic incident in January when a fuselage panel blew off of a 737 MAX mid-flight.

The incident revived major questions about Boeing's manufacturing and safety practices that had initially arisen following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.

Recently, a Boeing engineer said that the 787 Dreamliner should be grounded immediately because of the risk it could "fall apart" mid-air.

He has alleged that the 787 Dreamliner contains gaps between parts well above company standards, a dynamic that could "ultimately cause a premature fatigue failure without any warning," creating unsafe conditions "with potentially catastrophic accidents".

Boeing, however, has said that claims about serious structural problems on the 787 "are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft."