A Ryanair aircraft was evacuated shortly before it was due to take off from Brindisi on Thursday after an engine caught fire.

The right engine of the twin-engined Maltese-registered Boeing 737-8AS aircraft was preparing to take off for Torino when the incident happened.

The nearly 200 passengers on board were safely evacuated through evacuation chutes and the flames were contained and promptly extinguished. 

The airport was temporarily closed. 

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