IQALUIT - A First Air cargo flight departing Iqaluit to Nanisivik was forced to make an emergency landing on June 13 after an engine fire was reported in air.

"The engine fire warning light lit up in the cockpit," said Deborah Baxter, communications advisor for Transport Canada. "The pilot declared an emergency and returned to Iqaluit."

Baxter said it is normal procedure for Transport Canada to follow up on all reported occurrences and is continuing to follow up with First Air.

"The company has since removed the engine from the aircraft and is investigating the cause of why that warning light came up," she added.

The First Air Aerospatiale 1989 Turbo prop plane was in the initial climb out of Iqaluit when at 3,600 feet the warning light went on alerting crew there was a fire in engine no. 2, according to information on Transport Canada's Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS).

The fire was put out in the air by discharging one bottle of halon - a fire suppressant - into the engine cowling. According to CADORS, initial inspection found a crack on the casing of the engine above the combustion section, which resulted in a fire.

When the plane landed in Iqaluit it had two flat tires and the aircraft also landed overweight.

There were minor delays to inbound and outbound flights as a result of the emergency landing.