Los Angeles: A United Airlines flight bound for Newark Liberty International Airport was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday after suffering a possible engine fire. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, carrying 256 passengers and 12 crew members, had just departed Los Angeles when the incident occurred.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that United Airlines Flight 2127 returned safely to Los Angeles at around 2.20 pm local time, with passengers evacuating the plane via slides on a taxiway. A video footage showed smoke billowing from the left engine, and crews were seen hosing it down.

According to United Airlines, the aircraft suffered a possible engine fire, forcing the crew for emergency landing. The passengers were immediately evacuated and transported to the terminal, with no reported injuries. The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident.

As per reports, the incident caused disruptions to air traffic, with a brief ground stop issued at the Los Angeles airport and arrival delays of up to 30 minutes. 

The experts stated that the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is a long-haul aircraft, and the incident was a rare occurrence for the model. Boeing has yet to comment on the incident, and the FAA's investigation will focus on determining the cause of the engine malfunction.

After the emergency landing, one of the pilots said on radio communications, "People are going to be coming out the right side, the side toward the runway. We would prefer to stay right here and just get people off." The other pilot confirmed a fire indication on the left engine, stating, “We have another indication, it came back on that we have a fire on the left engine.”

It is said that the aircraft had climbed to 18,000 feet before declaring an emergency and requesting to return to Los Angeles. The emergency services were placed on standby, and the plane landed safely on the runway. Upon landing, the passengers exited the plane via inflatable slides and mobile airstairs, with the evacuation process taking under one minute.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident to ascertain the cause of the engine malfunction. 

Further details are awaited.