On Feb 21st 2026, an Air France Boeing 777-300, registration F-GSQO, returned to Fort de France shortly after departure when its right-hand engine emitted bangs and visible flames during climb.
Flight AF-895 had departed runway 10 in Fort de France bound for Paris Charles de Gaulle with 469 people on board. As the aircraft climbed out, the right-hand General Electric GE90 reportedly produced a series of loud bangs accompanied by streaks of flames.
The crew halted the climb at 3,000 feet, assessed the situation, and elected to return to the departure airport. The aircraft landed safely back on runway 10 approximately 25 minutes after takeoff. No injuries were reported.
The Boeing 777 is designed to safely continue flight on a single engine, and crews are extensively trained to handle engine malfunctions, including compressor stalls or other abnormal combustion events that can produce loud reports and visible flames.
As of about 16 hours after landing, the aircraft remained on the ground in Fort de France pending inspection and maintenance action.
The incident underscores both the dramatic nature of engine anomalies and the procedural discipline that allows flight crews to manage them safely, even with a fully loaded long-haul aircraft.
