Qantas: Sydney to Perth flight forced to circle and make emergency landing after on-board distress call
Matt Shrivell
The Nightly
Updated
03 Mar 2025
A Qantas passenger jet has had to make an emergency landing in Sydney.
A Qantas flight bound from Sydney to Perth has been forced to turn around and make an sudden landing at Mascot on Monday morning.
Emergency services scrambled at Sydney Airport after the flight did a u-turn and headed back to it’s departure point after smoke was detected in the cockpit.
A Qantas spokesperson said the smoke did not enter the cabin.
The captain subsequently made a priority landing, minutes after takeoff.
“Our pilots are highly trained to handle situations like this and the aircraft landed safely after the appropriate procedures were conducted,” they said.
“We understand this would have been an unsettling experience for customers and apologise for the inconvenience.
“Our engineers will be checking the aircraft today and we will be conducting an investigation into what caused the issue.”
QF643, a Boeing 737, made a loop over the ocean off Sydney after its altitude peaked at 3960 metres.
The aircraft landed safely and taxied back to the gate under it’s own steam.
The aviation news outlet AviationSource reported a ‘code 7700’ which is an indication a flight needs immediate support from air traffic control had taken place.
An additional flight has been provided for customers which is scheduled to depart Sydney at 11:30am on Monday.
https://thenightly.com.au/australia/qant...c-17906427
AEROFLOT PLANE CIRCLES ANDAMAN SEA FOR 3 HOURS BEFORE EMERGENCY DIVERSION
By Khaosod English -February 10, 2025 10:45 pm
Facebook page "Dek Kaan Bin" shares an image of the Aeroflot Boeing 777-300ER that departed from Phuket International Airport and made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport on February 10, 2025.
PHUKET — An Aeroflot Boeing 777-300ER made an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport today after experiencing technical difficulties during its flight from Phuket to Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport.
The aircraft, which departed Phuket International Airport at 16:35 local time, spent over three hours holding over the Andaman Sea due to issues with its nose landing gear. The flight crew maintained altitudes between 18,000 and 12,000 feet while attempting to resolve the problem.
Montchai Tanode, Director of Phuket International Airport, confirmed that the aircraft’s nose gear failed to retract after takeoff. Unable to return to Phuket due to limited runway facilities, the flight diverted to Suvarnabhumi Airport, landing safely at 21:10.
During the holding pattern, the aircraft burned excess fuel to reach a safe landing weight and reduce environmental impact.
Suvarnabhumi Airport emergency response teams were deployed to support the landing.
The flight was originally scheduled to depart Phuket at 15:20 (UTC+7) and arrive in Moscow at 21:40 (UTC+3).
https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025...diversion/
Air India flight circles for over two and a half hours after hydraulic failure, makes emergency landing at Trichy
Air India flight after it landed safely following a mid-air glitch, at the Trichy Airport on Friday.
Updated on:
12 Oct 2024, 2:47 am
CHENNAI: An Air India Express Sharjah-bound flight from Tiruchirappalli experienced a mid-air technical glitch shortly after takeoff on Friday, forcing the plane to circle multiple times in the sky to reduce fuel and weight before landing safely, according to the airline's spokesperson.
The flight, which took off at 5.30 pm from Tiruchirappalli with 141 passengers, landed safely at around 8.15 pm.
Immediately after taking off, the aircraft experienced a fault related to hydraulic systems, the landing gear.
An Air India Express spokesperson said,"...we would like to clarify that no emergency was declared by the operating crew. After reporting a technical snag, the aircraft circled multiple times in the designated area as an abundant precaution, to reduce fuel and weight considering the runway length, before making a safe precautionary landing.
"The cause of the snag will be duly investigated. In the interim, an alternative aircraft is being arranged for the onward journey of our guests. We regret the inconvenience and reiterate our commitment to prioritising safety in every aspect of our operations."
In a statement, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the airport and emergency teams responded swiftly and effectively after a full emergency was declared at 18.05 hours.
Aviation regulator DGCA is set to conduct a thorough examination of the hydraulic failure in the Tiruchirappalli-Sharjah flight to ascertain the cause of the glitch.
A senior Boeing pilot said that narrow body planes like Boeing 737 do not have the option to dump fuel and can only burn fuel.
So, in this case, the aircraft had to go around to burn fuel and bring down the overall weight.
In emergency conditions, the pilot said overweight landing could be permitted but that option is exercised by the operating crew only if there are criticial issues like fire.
The option to eject fuel is available in wide body planes like Boeing 777 and 787.
The flight IX 613 was operated with a Boeing 737 aircraft.
Under the regulations, an aircraft can only have a specified weight at the time of landing for the safety purpose.
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi thanked the Captain and co-pilot for the safe landing of the flight.
In a post on 'X', he said, "Many thanks to the Captain and the Co-Pilot for the safe landing of flight IX613 from Tiruchirappalli to Sharjah after the landing gear glitch.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/...s-in-place
EasyJet flight to Manchester Airport makes emergency landing after pilot 'collapsed'
Kit Roberts
9 February 2025·3-min read
A passenger recalled the terrifying moment their flight was forced to make an emergency landing after being diverted. The easyJet flight had been travelling from Hurghada in Egypt to Manchester when one of the pilots had a medical emergency.
As a result the flight was diverted to Athens, where it had to circle the airport before making an emergency landing. One of the passengers on the plane recalled the terrifying moment that they arrived in Athens, where they have now been left stranded.
The flight touched down at Athens safely, where it was greeted by emergency vehicles on the runway. Fortunately, the remaining pilot was able to land the plane safely.
The passenger, who did not want to be named, told the Manchester Evening News that they had been around two hours into the flight when they realised something was wrong. Cabin crew had been serving drinks when the passenger recalled seeing them rush to the front of the plane where a man had collapsed.
They said: "At first we thought this may of been a passenger as nothing much was being said other than the screams asking if anyone is medically trained, where a few passengers got up and assisted the cabin crew." The passenger then recalled how a screen was pulled across the front to obscure the incident from view.
"The following call was from the cabin crew to advise this was the captain/pilot who was seeking medical attention and has fell unwell and we again would be further updated with what was going to happen," the passenger shared. "At this point the passengers were starting to get rather worried and anxious including myself knowing that it was a pilot and not the passenger."
The terrified passengers were then told they would need to make an emergency landing. "The ride began to get very rough & scary and as we approached the runway we were welcomed with lots of emergency services such as fire engines, police, and ambulances all lined along the runway."
Recalling the "rough" landing, the passenger shared: "We started to panic. I got upset once I felt how rocky and rough the landing was and started to panic thinking it was the end. Another passenger began to have a panic attack and was given an oxygen mask to help."
The passengers and crew gave "a very big well done" to the co-pilot for safely landing the plane, and made their way into Athens airport. Since then, some ended up sleeping on the floor of the airport before being told that a hotel was being sorted out.
"We could have waited up to 2 hours for a free coach or start making our own way but have to pay each trip ourselves," said the passenger. "As you can imagine everyone is extremely tired at this point and everyone started to gather outside booking taxis."
They also added that the cabin crew and co-pilot had been "fantastic", saying: "I'm just so glad we had fantastic cabin crew on board and the co-pilot landed us safely."
Now, the passengers are still stuck at the hotel while they wait for a flight home.
A spokesperson for EasyJet told the Manchester Evening News: “easyJet can confirm that flight EZY2252 from Hurghada to Manchester yesterday evening was diverted to Athens due to the Captain requiring medical assistance. The First Officer performed a routine landing in accordance with standard operating procedures and the aircraft was met by paramedics on arrival in Athens.
“As a result the onward flight was delayed overnight and passengers will continue their journey to Manchester today. We did all possible to minimise the impact of the disruption and arranged hotel rooms and meals where available.
“We would like to apologise to passengers for the inconvenience caused and thank them for their patience and understanding.”
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/easyjet-flight...10040.html
Fire breaks out at Sydney Airport as Qantas flight makes emergency landing
Qantas did not say how many passengers were on board the twin jet Boeing 737-800 bound for Brisbane when the engine failed with a loud bang
Last Updated : Nov 08 2024 | 11:08 AM IST
An engine failure on a passenger plane taking off from Sydney, Australia on Friday prompted the aircraft to circle before a safe emergency landing, the airline Qantas said.
At the same time, a grass fire broke out along one side of a runway, Sydney Airport said in a statement. It was not known if the two events were linked. The fire has been brought under control, but flight delays are expected.
Qantas did not say how many passengers were on board the twin jet Boeing 737-800 bound for Brisbane when the engine failed with a loud bang. No injuries were reported.
We understand this would have been a distressing experience for customers and we will be contacting all customers this afternoon to provide support," Qantas Chief Pilot Captain Richard Tobiano said in a statement. We will also be conducting an investigation into what caused the engine issue.
Sydney Airport said its main runway was still in service. The grass fire broke out along the side of a parallel runway which was being inspected before it could be used again, the airport said in a statement.
It said delays were expected and advised travelers to check their flight's status with the airline.
Mark Willacy, an Australian Broadcasting Corp. reporter, told the news outlet that an off-duty pilot who was a passenger on the plane had helped the Qantas pilot during the emergency landing.
A flight tracking website shows the aircraft was airborne for about 20 minutes, flying in circles above the airport.
https://www.business-standard.com/world-...297_1.html
Low On Fuel, Air India Flight Makes Emergency Landing; Was Forced To Circle For 20 Minutes
Curated By :
Satyaki Baidya
Last updated : Oct 29, 2024, 09:14 IST
Reports stated that the pilot could not establish the correct landing position, making it potentially dangerous to attempt landing under such conditions
Chaos erupted at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport in Lucknow on Monday when the pilot of an Air India flight sent an emergency message to Air Traffic Control reporting that the aircraft was running out of fuel.
The aircraft had nearly 200 passengers on board. After hovering in the sky for 20 minutes, it made a safe emergency landing.
The Air India flight AI-431 departed from Delhi at 12:20 pm and was scheduled to arrive in Lucknow at 1:30 pm. While the flight was on time, the pilot could not land on the first attempt. He was also unsuccessful in his second attempt.
The aircraft circled in the air for an extended period of around 20 minutes, leading to fuel depletion. The pilot then sent an emergency message to ATC, causing anxiety among the passengers.
Upon receiving the emergency landing alert, fire engines, rescue personnel, and ambulances rushed to the runway.
However, the plane landed successfully on the third attempt, with its engine running. All passengers were relieved when the aircraft touched down. It has been reported that the pilot was unable to establish the correct position for landing. Landing in such a situation could have been potentially dangerous.
Meanwhile, another Air India plane coming from Delhi made an emergency landing at the international airport in Colombo on Monday following a bomb threat, that later turned out to be a hoax.
The aircraft, operating the flight AI 281, had 108 passengers and eight crew members.
The officials said the plane made an emergency landing due to the bomb threat. The fire brigade and the medical crews alongside bomb disposal squads were present at the time of landing, they added.
https://www.news18.com/india/low-on-fuel...02728.html
' 'Stalled' engine forced Malaysia Airlines flight to land at Alice Springs, passenger says
The flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur diverted to Alice Springs Airport early on Tuesday morning.
A Malaysia Airlines flight was forced to land in Alice Springs after running into mid-air engine problems.
Flight MH128 departed Melbourne at about 11.20pm on Tuesday bound for Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur.
But the aircraft, which flight tracking websites list as an Airbus A330-323, diverted to Alice Springs Airport early on Tuesday morning.
A passenger on board the flight, who asked not to be named, told SBS News everything appeared normal but the sound of the plane's right engine "seemed odd".
"We felt a low vibration... many of us thought it was just turbulence," the passenger said.
"But then the right side engine became noticeably quiet".
The passenger said the captain had announced that the engine "had stalled" and they would need to circle for two hours to burn fuel before landing at the airport.
The passenger said a fire truck met the plane when it landed without issue at 4.35am, with passengers staying on board until about 6.15am.
Malaysia Airlines and the Airport Development Group, which manages Alice Springs Airport, confirmed the plane had diverted there but did not say one of the plane's engines had stalled.
Malaysia Airlines said it had suffered a "technical issue", while the Airport Development Group said it had made an "emergency landing" due to "engine issues".
A spokeswoman for Malaysia Airlines disputed the use of "emergency landing".
"The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers were disembarked and managed in accordance with domestic flight protocols," Rob Porter, Airport Development Group's executive general manager, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Porter said most passengers had been rebooked on domestic flights that departed on Tuesday.
“A smaller number of passengers will stay overnight in Alice Springs and will be flown out on domestic flights tomorrow (Wednesday)," he said in a statement.
The passenger who spoke to SBS News said the captain said the airport did not have the facilities to handle the aircraft's cargo, and those on board would not have access to their checked baggage.
Malaysia Airlines apologised for this in its statement released on Tuesday morning.
"Malaysia Airlines regrets the inconvenience caused by baggage offloading delays," the airline said. "We are currently working with the airport handler to address equipment limitations for widebody aircraft and expedite the process.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/stal.../zpjemo5bs
Matt Shrivell
The Nightly
Updated
03 Mar 2025
A Qantas passenger jet has had to make an emergency landing in Sydney.
A Qantas flight bound from Sydney to Perth has been forced to turn around and make an sudden landing at Mascot on Monday morning.
Emergency services scrambled at Sydney Airport after the flight did a u-turn and headed back to it’s departure point after smoke was detected in the cockpit.
A Qantas spokesperson said the smoke did not enter the cabin.
The captain subsequently made a priority landing, minutes after takeoff.
“Our pilots are highly trained to handle situations like this and the aircraft landed safely after the appropriate procedures were conducted,” they said.
“We understand this would have been an unsettling experience for customers and apologise for the inconvenience.
“Our engineers will be checking the aircraft today and we will be conducting an investigation into what caused the issue.”
QF643, a Boeing 737, made a loop over the ocean off Sydney after its altitude peaked at 3960 metres.
The aircraft landed safely and taxied back to the gate under it’s own steam.
The aviation news outlet AviationSource reported a ‘code 7700’ which is an indication a flight needs immediate support from air traffic control had taken place.
An additional flight has been provided for customers which is scheduled to depart Sydney at 11:30am on Monday.
https://thenightly.com.au/australia/qant...c-17906427
AEROFLOT PLANE CIRCLES ANDAMAN SEA FOR 3 HOURS BEFORE EMERGENCY DIVERSION
By Khaosod English -February 10, 2025 10:45 pm
Facebook page "Dek Kaan Bin" shares an image of the Aeroflot Boeing 777-300ER that departed from Phuket International Airport and made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport on February 10, 2025.
PHUKET — An Aeroflot Boeing 777-300ER made an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport today after experiencing technical difficulties during its flight from Phuket to Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport.
The aircraft, which departed Phuket International Airport at 16:35 local time, spent over three hours holding over the Andaman Sea due to issues with its nose landing gear. The flight crew maintained altitudes between 18,000 and 12,000 feet while attempting to resolve the problem.
Montchai Tanode, Director of Phuket International Airport, confirmed that the aircraft’s nose gear failed to retract after takeoff. Unable to return to Phuket due to limited runway facilities, the flight diverted to Suvarnabhumi Airport, landing safely at 21:10.
During the holding pattern, the aircraft burned excess fuel to reach a safe landing weight and reduce environmental impact.
Suvarnabhumi Airport emergency response teams were deployed to support the landing.
The flight was originally scheduled to depart Phuket at 15:20 (UTC+7) and arrive in Moscow at 21:40 (UTC+3).
https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025...diversion/
Air India flight circles for over two and a half hours after hydraulic failure, makes emergency landing at Trichy
Air India flight after it landed safely following a mid-air glitch, at the Trichy Airport on Friday.
Updated on:
12 Oct 2024, 2:47 am
CHENNAI: An Air India Express Sharjah-bound flight from Tiruchirappalli experienced a mid-air technical glitch shortly after takeoff on Friday, forcing the plane to circle multiple times in the sky to reduce fuel and weight before landing safely, according to the airline's spokesperson.
The flight, which took off at 5.30 pm from Tiruchirappalli with 141 passengers, landed safely at around 8.15 pm.
Immediately after taking off, the aircraft experienced a fault related to hydraulic systems, the landing gear.
An Air India Express spokesperson said,"...we would like to clarify that no emergency was declared by the operating crew. After reporting a technical snag, the aircraft circled multiple times in the designated area as an abundant precaution, to reduce fuel and weight considering the runway length, before making a safe precautionary landing.
"The cause of the snag will be duly investigated. In the interim, an alternative aircraft is being arranged for the onward journey of our guests. We regret the inconvenience and reiterate our commitment to prioritising safety in every aspect of our operations."
In a statement, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the airport and emergency teams responded swiftly and effectively after a full emergency was declared at 18.05 hours.
Aviation regulator DGCA is set to conduct a thorough examination of the hydraulic failure in the Tiruchirappalli-Sharjah flight to ascertain the cause of the glitch.
A senior Boeing pilot said that narrow body planes like Boeing 737 do not have the option to dump fuel and can only burn fuel.
So, in this case, the aircraft had to go around to burn fuel and bring down the overall weight.
In emergency conditions, the pilot said overweight landing could be permitted but that option is exercised by the operating crew only if there are criticial issues like fire.
The option to eject fuel is available in wide body planes like Boeing 777 and 787.
The flight IX 613 was operated with a Boeing 737 aircraft.
Under the regulations, an aircraft can only have a specified weight at the time of landing for the safety purpose.
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi thanked the Captain and co-pilot for the safe landing of the flight.
In a post on 'X', he said, "Many thanks to the Captain and the Co-Pilot for the safe landing of flight IX613 from Tiruchirappalli to Sharjah after the landing gear glitch.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/...s-in-place
EasyJet flight to Manchester Airport makes emergency landing after pilot 'collapsed'
Kit Roberts
9 February 2025·3-min read
A passenger recalled the terrifying moment their flight was forced to make an emergency landing after being diverted. The easyJet flight had been travelling from Hurghada in Egypt to Manchester when one of the pilots had a medical emergency.
As a result the flight was diverted to Athens, where it had to circle the airport before making an emergency landing. One of the passengers on the plane recalled the terrifying moment that they arrived in Athens, where they have now been left stranded.
The flight touched down at Athens safely, where it was greeted by emergency vehicles on the runway. Fortunately, the remaining pilot was able to land the plane safely.
The passenger, who did not want to be named, told the Manchester Evening News that they had been around two hours into the flight when they realised something was wrong. Cabin crew had been serving drinks when the passenger recalled seeing them rush to the front of the plane where a man had collapsed.
They said: "At first we thought this may of been a passenger as nothing much was being said other than the screams asking if anyone is medically trained, where a few passengers got up and assisted the cabin crew." The passenger then recalled how a screen was pulled across the front to obscure the incident from view.
"The following call was from the cabin crew to advise this was the captain/pilot who was seeking medical attention and has fell unwell and we again would be further updated with what was going to happen," the passenger shared. "At this point the passengers were starting to get rather worried and anxious including myself knowing that it was a pilot and not the passenger."
The terrified passengers were then told they would need to make an emergency landing. "The ride began to get very rough & scary and as we approached the runway we were welcomed with lots of emergency services such as fire engines, police, and ambulances all lined along the runway."
Recalling the "rough" landing, the passenger shared: "We started to panic. I got upset once I felt how rocky and rough the landing was and started to panic thinking it was the end. Another passenger began to have a panic attack and was given an oxygen mask to help."
The passengers and crew gave "a very big well done" to the co-pilot for safely landing the plane, and made their way into Athens airport. Since then, some ended up sleeping on the floor of the airport before being told that a hotel was being sorted out.
"We could have waited up to 2 hours for a free coach or start making our own way but have to pay each trip ourselves," said the passenger. "As you can imagine everyone is extremely tired at this point and everyone started to gather outside booking taxis."
Now, the passengers are still stuck at the hotel while they wait for a flight home.
A spokesperson for EasyJet told the Manchester Evening News: “easyJet can confirm that flight EZY2252 from Hurghada to Manchester yesterday evening was diverted to Athens due to the Captain requiring medical assistance. The First Officer performed a routine landing in accordance with standard operating procedures and the aircraft was met by paramedics on arrival in Athens.
“As a result the onward flight was delayed overnight and passengers will continue their journey to Manchester today. We did all possible to minimise the impact of the disruption and arranged hotel rooms and meals where available.
“We would like to apologise to passengers for the inconvenience caused and thank them for their patience and understanding.”
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/easyjet-flight...10040.html
Fire breaks out at Sydney Airport as Qantas flight makes emergency landing
Qantas did not say how many passengers were on board the twin jet Boeing 737-800 bound for Brisbane when the engine failed with a loud bang
Last Updated : Nov 08 2024 | 11:08 AM IST
An engine failure on a passenger plane taking off from Sydney, Australia on Friday prompted the aircraft to circle before a safe emergency landing, the airline Qantas said.
At the same time, a grass fire broke out along one side of a runway, Sydney Airport said in a statement. It was not known if the two events were linked. The fire has been brought under control, but flight delays are expected.
Qantas did not say how many passengers were on board the twin jet Boeing 737-800 bound for Brisbane when the engine failed with a loud bang. No injuries were reported.
We understand this would have been a distressing experience for customers and we will be contacting all customers this afternoon to provide support," Qantas Chief Pilot Captain Richard Tobiano said in a statement. We will also be conducting an investigation into what caused the engine issue.
Sydney Airport said its main runway was still in service. The grass fire broke out along the side of a parallel runway which was being inspected before it could be used again, the airport said in a statement.
It said delays were expected and advised travelers to check their flight's status with the airline.
Mark Willacy, an Australian Broadcasting Corp. reporter, told the news outlet that an off-duty pilot who was a passenger on the plane had helped the Qantas pilot during the emergency landing.
A flight tracking website shows the aircraft was airborne for about 20 minutes, flying in circles above the airport.
https://www.business-standard.com/world-...297_1.html
Low On Fuel, Air India Flight Makes Emergency Landing; Was Forced To Circle For 20 Minutes
Curated By :
Satyaki Baidya
Last updated : Oct 29, 2024, 09:14 IST
Reports stated that the pilot could not establish the correct landing position, making it potentially dangerous to attempt landing under such conditions
Chaos erupted at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport in Lucknow on Monday when the pilot of an Air India flight sent an emergency message to Air Traffic Control reporting that the aircraft was running out of fuel.
The aircraft had nearly 200 passengers on board. After hovering in the sky for 20 minutes, it made a safe emergency landing.
The Air India flight AI-431 departed from Delhi at 12:20 pm and was scheduled to arrive in Lucknow at 1:30 pm. While the flight was on time, the pilot could not land on the first attempt. He was also unsuccessful in his second attempt.
The aircraft circled in the air for an extended period of around 20 minutes, leading to fuel depletion. The pilot then sent an emergency message to ATC, causing anxiety among the passengers.
Upon receiving the emergency landing alert, fire engines, rescue personnel, and ambulances rushed to the runway.
However, the plane landed successfully on the third attempt, with its engine running. All passengers were relieved when the aircraft touched down. It has been reported that the pilot was unable to establish the correct position for landing. Landing in such a situation could have been potentially dangerous.
Meanwhile, another Air India plane coming from Delhi made an emergency landing at the international airport in Colombo on Monday following a bomb threat, that later turned out to be a hoax.
The aircraft, operating the flight AI 281, had 108 passengers and eight crew members.
The officials said the plane made an emergency landing due to the bomb threat. The fire brigade and the medical crews alongside bomb disposal squads were present at the time of landing, they added.
https://www.news18.com/india/low-on-fuel...02728.html
' 'Stalled' engine forced Malaysia Airlines flight to land at Alice Springs, passenger says
The flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur diverted to Alice Springs Airport early on Tuesday morning.
Flight MH128 departed Melbourne at about 11.20pm on Tuesday bound for Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur.
But the aircraft, which flight tracking websites list as an Airbus A330-323, diverted to Alice Springs Airport early on Tuesday morning.
A passenger on board the flight, who asked not to be named, told SBS News everything appeared normal but the sound of the plane's right engine "seemed odd".
"We felt a low vibration... many of us thought it was just turbulence," the passenger said.
"But then the right side engine became noticeably quiet".
The passenger said the captain had announced that the engine "had stalled" and they would need to circle for two hours to burn fuel before landing at the airport.
The passenger said a fire truck met the plane when it landed without issue at 4.35am, with passengers staying on board until about 6.15am.
Malaysia Airlines said it had suffered a "technical issue", while the Airport Development Group said it had made an "emergency landing" due to "engine issues".
A spokeswoman for Malaysia Airlines disputed the use of "emergency landing".
"The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers were disembarked and managed in accordance with domestic flight protocols," Rob Porter, Airport Development Group's executive general manager, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Porter said most passengers had been rebooked on domestic flights that departed on Tuesday.
“A smaller number of passengers will stay overnight in Alice Springs and will be flown out on domestic flights tomorrow (Wednesday)," he said in a statement.
The passenger who spoke to SBS News said the captain said the airport did not have the facilities to handle the aircraft's cargo, and those on board would not have access to their checked baggage.
Malaysia Airlines apologised for this in its statement released on Tuesday morning.
"Malaysia Airlines regrets the inconvenience caused by baggage offloading delays," the airline said. "We are currently working with the airport handler to address equipment limitations for widebody aircraft and expedite the process.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/stal.../zpjemo5bs