Aer Lingus flight makes U-turn after 'bangs and flashes'

Passengers on board a flight from New York to Dublin have reported hearing loud bangs as their plane was forced to make a U-turn shortly after take off.

Aer Lingus flight EI106 was due to arrive in Ireland on Saturday morning, but flew back to JFK airport after a "technical issue".

The airline said it was "arranging alternative travel plans" and would try to ensure all customers travelled "by the evening of 25 December".

Passenger Kathryn Toolan told RTÉ News that she'd heard "five or six quite big bangs" followed by "big flashes".

"That rocked the plane a bit and everybody was a bit shook up. We clearly heard the engine being turned off because it basically went silent on the right side of the plane," she added.

"Nobody was really speaking, everybody was in shock."

Ms Toolan said the pilot reacted well and landed the plane safely back at JFK.

But she criticised Aer Lingus for failing to update passengers on alternative travel arrangements despite many being "fairly traumatised".

Some customers took to social media to say they had not been given any information on subsequent travel options.

Republic of Ireland footballer, Jamie Finn, was among those on board.

She tweeted that passengers had been "left stranded".

Aer Lingus apologised for "the inconvenience this has caused" and said it was working to contact all affected passengers.

According to RTÉ the airline said that the "majority" of passengers have had their alternative flight arrangements confirmed to them and that they are "working through the remainder to ensure everyone has certainty on re-accommodation arrangements".

"We are also working to book hotel accommodation for those customers who need to stay overnight before they depart."