Passengers reported heading a “loud bang” as the aircraft began accelerating for take-off, which the airline later confirmed came from one of the engines.

All 169 people on board evacuated the aircraft using its emergency slides, with eight suffering minor injuries, the airport confirmed in a statement.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is investigating. In a statement, it said it had sent a team to Stansted to look into the incident involving the Airbus A320 aircraft operated by the Ryanair subsidiary.

Flights were grounded while the aircraft was recovered, with the runway reopening at around 10.40pm. Incoming flights were diverted to neighbouring airports.

Said Laudamotion in a statement: “The crew of OE flight from Stansted to Vienna decided to abort the take-off due to engine issues and to disembark the passengers on the runway as a precautionary measure.”

The airline added passengers were returned to the terminal by bus and would be put in a replacement flight.

Stansted said in a statement issued at 9pm flights were suspended due to “an aircraft on the runway following an aborted take-off due to a suspected engine problem”.

“Emergency services attended and all passengers were evacuated from the aircraft as a precaution,” the statement added.

The airport opened as normal on Saturday (March 2).

Passenger Sam Long wrote on Twitter there was a “loud bang” as the aircraft accelerated for take-off, followed by a “huge deceleration”.