A British Airways flight from Las Vegas lost a wheel during take-off before making a mammoth transatlantic flight.
Video footage captured the dramatic moment the right rear wheel fell from the Airbus A350-1000 as the aircraft left the tarmac at the Harry Reid International Airport.
The incident occurred at around 9.10pm local time as flight BA274 departed the Nevada city bound for London Heathrow.
Cameras on tracking website FlightRadar's automated live stream appeared to show the tyre as the plane began climbing into the air.
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The live feed also captured sparks flying from the right main landing gear as the jet lifted off the runway.
Moments later, as the wheels were being retracted, the tyre appeared to loosen from the mechanics, before falling to the ground.
The wheel was later recovered from the airfield in Las Vegas.
Airport officials confirmed there was no damage to any property on the ground, and nobody was hurt.
A British Airways flight from Las Vegas lost a wheel during take-off before making a mammoth transatlantic flight
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Airport officials found the wheel on the ground
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Despite the worrying ordeal, the aircraft pressed on with its 5,000-mile journey without any further problems.
After spending more than nine hours crossing the Atlantic, the plane touched down at Heathrow in what was described as a "safe and uneventful" landing.
Remarkably, the flight arrived 27 minutes ahead of schedule, with passengers and crew completely unharmed, and many unaware, throughout the entire ordeal.
The aircraft's main landing gear features six wheels arranged in three pairs, which explains why losing a single tyre did not spell disaster for those on board.
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British Airways said: 'Safety and security underpins everything we do and we're supporting the authorities with their investigations'
| PAThis design means the pilots were still able to perform a completely routine landing at Heathrow without any difficulty whatsoever.
The cause of the wheel separation remains unclear at this stage.
The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified about the incident and will be looking into what went wrong.
British Airways confirmed nobody suffered any injuries, whether aboard the aircraft or on the ground in Las Vegas.
In a statement, the airline said: "Safety and security underpins everything we do and we're supporting the authorities with their investigations."
Harry Reid International Airport also acknowledged the incident, confirming the tyre had been retrieved from their airfield and that there were no reported injuries or damage to airport property.
Investigators will now work to determine exactly what caused the wheel to detach during takeoff.
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