Passengers 'injured' in evacuation of Thomas Cook flight to London after smoke spotted in cabin

Holidaymakers were injured as they were evacuating a London-bound Thomas Cook plane in Egypt after smoke started rising from beneath a passenger’s seat.

Emergency slides were deployed from the Thomas Cook flight from Hurghada on Egypt's Red Sea coastline to London Gatwick, at around 1.40am local time.

It is understood one passenger was taken to hospital with a suspected shoulder injury following the flight's evacuation, and two others were treated at the airport clinic - one for a minor injury and the other due to a pre-existing condition.

Thomas Cook said it was a "controlled" evacuation of the 251 passengers and nine crew members from the aircraft.

A spokesman for the travel company said: "Flight MT519 to London Gatwick carried out a controlled evacuation before take-off at Hurghada airport after the crew reported a smell of burning and smoke at the rear of the cabin.

"All 251 passengers and 9 crew members evacuated the aircraft using the emergency slides and were transported back to the terminal building.

"Our customers' safety is always our top priority and we are very sorry for the delay."

Some passengers, however, complained on social media, saying people were hurt in the rush to the exits.  

One Twitter user, Wendy Derek, wrote: “This was not a controlled evacuation, it was an emergency one with people getting injured.

"They then left people standing by the plane."

Claire McIlroy added: "Sister's family stuck, brother-in-law injured during evacuation! More information on twitter than your rep is telling them!"

Fawwaz Khan‏ said: “Not happy at all! What is going on with my sisters flight? Evacuation, stranded, no info!”

The airline said the smoke on board the plane was caused by a mechanical issue, the Daily Mail reported. 

Passengers were being flown back to the UK on a different plane.