Plane loses engine during takeoff

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- South African officials were trying to determine Thursday why an engine fell off a Boeing 737 during takeoff at Cape Town International Airport.

The engine fell Wednesday afternoon from the Nationwide Airlines flight with 106 passengers on board bound for Johannesburg. The plane later made a safe emergency landing, the South African Broadcasting Corp., reported.

A passenger told Radio 702 he saw the engine fall off and that the pilot took 10 minutes to announce there was a problem.

The pilot had to circle for about 15 minutes as crews raced to clear the debris from the runway, the report said.

There were no injuries in the incident and other incoming flights were directed to another airport in George, airline officials said.

Last Friday, a South African Airlines Airbus got stuck in sand alongside the runway at Cape Town, causing major delays, SABC said.