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'Shaking' Malaysia Airlines flight turns back to Australia | 'Shaking' Malaysia Airlines flight turns back to Australia |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A Malaysia Airlines flight was forced to divert to central Australia after a technical issue left the aircraft "shuddering", passengers say. | A Malaysia Airlines flight was forced to divert to central Australia after a technical issue left the aircraft "shuddering", passengers say. |
Flight MH122 was travelling from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday when it turned back not far from Broome, in Australia's north-west. | Flight MH122 was travelling from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday when it turned back not far from Broome, in Australia's north-west. |
The plane, carrying 224 people, landed safely at Alice Springs Airport at 17:48 local time (06:48 GMT). | The plane, carrying 224 people, landed safely at Alice Springs Airport at 17:48 local time (06:48 GMT). |
There had been "a loud bang" from the left hand engine, the airline said. | There had been "a loud bang" from the left hand engine, the airline said. |
"This was followed by a warning indicator which appeared on the electronic aircraft monitoring system," the company said in a statement. "The captain then requested for the cabin crew to prepare for a normal landing." | "This was followed by a warning indicator which appeared on the electronic aircraft monitoring system," the company said in a statement. "The captain then requested for the cabin crew to prepare for a normal landing." |
Passengers on board said the plane had been shaking and making loud noises. | Passengers on board said the plane had been shaking and making loud noises. |
Earlier, Malaysia Airlines identified the problem only as "a technical fault on one of the aircraft's engines" - but said the plane's safety was not compromised at any point. | Earlier, Malaysia Airlines identified the problem only as "a technical fault on one of the aircraft's engines" - but said the plane's safety was not compromised at any point. |
Passenger Sanjeev Pandev said the plane, which was an Airbus A330-300, appeared to have a problem about four hours into the flight. | Passenger Sanjeev Pandev said the plane, which was an Airbus A330-300, appeared to have a problem about four hours into the flight. |
"It was shaking and vibrating and the noise was getting louder and louder" he told the BBC. | "It was shaking and vibrating and the noise was getting louder and louder" he told the BBC. |
"Some people were praying and people had tears in their eyes. It was a really terrifying moment." | "Some people were praying and people had tears in their eyes. It was a really terrifying moment." |
He said passengers were taken through emergency procedures by staff, some of whom appeared "nervous and terrified themselves". | He said passengers were taken through emergency procedures by staff, some of whom appeared "nervous and terrified themselves". |
Malaysia Airlines, however, said there was "no chaos reported in the cabin". | Malaysia Airlines, however, said there was "no chaos reported in the cabin". |
Another passenger praised the pilot for landing safely. | |
Prof Graham Braithwaite, an expert in aviation safety at Cranfield University, said it is possible one of the engine's blades was damaged. | |
"You've got a very large fan that is spinning in a jet engine like this," he said. "Some of these blades are spinning around, and some are fixed." | |
"If one of these comes off, it'll make a thumping great noise - then you've got this fan spinning around unevenly." | |
Such damage can be caused by many things - including a manufacturing defect, or a piece of debris or a bird being sucked into the engine. | |
But the danger to passengers is small, since "the engines will generally cope with this sort of stuff", he said. | |
Modern jet engines are also so reliable that planes can fly safely on one engine for an extended period of time. | |
"The likelihood of a mechanical engine failure is so remote that the chances of another happening on the other engine is extremely unusual," Prof Braithwaite said. | |
Malaysia Airlines said safety remained its top priority. | Malaysia Airlines said safety remained its top priority. |
The group's CEO, Izham Ismail, apologised to customers for "the anxiety experienced." | The group's CEO, Izham Ismail, apologised to customers for "the anxiety experienced." |
"I thank all crew onboard for managing the situation by the book and in the calmest way possible," he said. | "I thank all crew onboard for managing the situation by the book and in the calmest way possible," he said. |
Passengers were being accommodated at nearby hotels before boarding a new flight on Friday, he added. | Passengers were being accommodated at nearby hotels before boarding a new flight on Friday, he added. |
In June, an AirAsia X flight bound for Kuala Lumpur was also forced to turn back to Australia after an engine problem left it shaking. | In June, an AirAsia X flight bound for Kuala Lumpur was also forced to turn back to Australia after an engine problem left it shaking. |
AirAsia X did not give details about the technical issue behind the incident, but said the safety of passengers was its "utmost priority". | AirAsia X did not give details about the technical issue behind the incident, but said the safety of passengers was its "utmost priority". |