Smoke In Cabin Forces Heathrow Flight Evacuation

Passengers on an American Airlines flight were forced to use an emergency slide to evacuate the plane at Heathrow Airport after smoke was seen in the cabin.

Footage showed several passengers, including children, sliding to the runway at Terminal 3.

Ross Hiscock, who was on another flight, said he saw smoke coming from the aircraft when the doors were opened.

"I wondered if it was normal, whether it was just exhaust fumes," he said.

"Then the door opened on the right side of the aircraft and crews deployed slides from the rear and the middle of the plane.

"Next we wondered whether it was a drill, but then we saw they were real passengers. I saw at least one carrying a child.

"It all happened in a matter of seconds. Everyone seemed to be okay."

American Airlines said about 25 people had used the slides to leave the plane, while the rest of the passengers and crew had exited using the jet bridge.

Heathrow said the "technical issue" had been resolved.