An Air Caraïbes long-haul flight operating as TX517 from Fort-de-France to Paris Orly was forced to return to its departure airport shortly after takeoff on January 4, 2026, following a failure of one of its engines.
The aircraft, an Airbus A330-300 registered F-ORLY, departed Fort-de-France Airport with 351 people on board. While climbing out from runway 10, the right-hand engine, a Pratt & Whitney PW4168, reportedly failed, emitting a loud bang accompanied by visible streaks of flames.
In response, the flight crew halted the climb at approximately 3,000 feet, carried out engine shutdown procedures, and elected to return to Fort-de-France as a precaution. The aircraft landed safely back on runway 10 around 25 minutes after departure.
Emergency services were on standby, and the landing was completed without further incident. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew.
Air Caraïbes later confirmed that passengers were provided with hotel accommodation while the situation was addressed. As of about 14 hours after the return, the aircraft remains on the ground in Fort-de-France, where maintenance teams are conducting inspections and preparing for repairs.
The airline emphasized that the crew followed standard safety procedures and that the decision to return was made in the interest of passenger safety.
