Representative image showing a Malaysia Airlines aircraft.
Credit: Reuters photo
Hyderabad: A Hyderabad-Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Airlines flight that took off during the wee hours of Thursday from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here made a turn around after the pilot noticed a technical snag in the engine in mid-air.
According to the airport sources, Flight MH 199 carrying 138 passengers took off at 12.45 am but landed back after some time due to technical reasons.
The flight was scheduled to take off at 12.15 am.
The flight landed back at 3.21 am at the airport where emergency landing protocols were in place, the sources further said, adding that as of now the aircraft remains grounded.
Malaysia Airlines in a statement confirmed that flight MH 199 from Hyderabad to Kuala Lumpur returned to Hyderabad due to "an issue with one of the engines during climb after take-off."
"The aircraft safely landed at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 03:21 am local time, all passengers and crew disembarked safely. Affected passengers will be reallocated to other flights for their continued journey," a Malaysia Airlines' spokesperson said.
The aircraft is currently on the ground for further inspection. Safety remains of the utmost importance to Malaysia Airlines, the official further said in the statement.
Meanwhile, a video footage purportedly shot from an aircraft window showing sparks coming from one of the engines went viral.