Singapore Airlines flight SQ368 caught on fire

Canberra : A terrified passenger described the alarming moment the wing of their Singapore Airlines plane caught on fire after an emergency landing at Changi Airport.  

Lee Bee Yee, 43,wrote in a Facebook post: 'I just escaped death!!!!' and described how those on board were asked to remain on the plane for a 'heart-wrenching' five minutes as fire fighters tried to douse the flames.

The Singapore Airline plane was leaking oil for three hours after take off and had to turn back, said Yee. 

But after reaching Changi Airport, as the plane was landing, the engine burst into flame. 

She continued: 'They shot foam and water into the fire and eventually it was put out! We were so close to death!!

'I thank God I am alive! I going home to hug my kids.... Europe Sale has to wait for a while. Sorry everyone!' 

Flight SQ368 departed from Changi, Singapore bound for Milan, Italy on Monday but turned back two hours into the flight after an 'engine oil warning message.'

'The aircraft's right engine caught fire after the aircraft touched down at Changi Airport at around 6:50am,' Singapore Airlines said in a statement.

After the Boeing 7770-300ER landed the fire on board was extinguished by emergency crews.

There were no injuries to the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board. 

'Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus.' 

'Passengers will be transferred to another aircraft which is expected to depart for Milan later today,' the Singapore Airlines statement reads. 

Yee said she had smelt what she thought was gasoline on board.

'We were informed by the pilot that there was a leak, and that the plane would have to return to Changi Airport as it did not have enough fuel for the journey,' she told The Straights Times.

'The blaze was quite fierce and we waited for around two to three minutes before the fire engines arrived,' she said.