A Cargolux plane was forced to dump 50 tonnes of kerosene before making a return to Luxembourg after reporting damage to one of its turbines during takeoff.

The German Flight Safety Authority reported the incident on Thursday.

The Cargolux 747-4R7F, en route to Johannesburg, climbed to a height of around 5 kilometres before dumping the fuel, which — at this altitude — evaporates in the atmosphere.

Airplanes release kerosene in emergencies to reduce weight before landing.

It is unclear what led to issues with the engine which necessitated the offloading.