Denpasar, Bali, Sept 25 (Antara) - A Cathay Pacific flight from Perth to Hong Kong was forced to make an emergency landing at the International Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar, Bali, on Friday morning.
"An engine malfunction caused the Cathay Pacific flight CX170, an Airbus A330 aircraft, to make an emergency landing at Ngurah Rai airport at 3:35 a.m. Central Indonesia Standard Time (WITA)," PT Angkasa Pura-I public relations official Sherly Yunita noted here on Friday.
According to Yunita, the ill-fated Cathay Pacific aircraft was carrying 254 passengers and 13 crew members when it was forced to make an emergency landing, but all aboard were safe and unharmed.
Yunita further explained that some of the passengers had taken another flight for Hong Kong, while the rest would be accommodated in a hotel in Denpasar.
According to a report released by The Australian, passenger Joel Sirna informed Perth radio station 6PR that they panicked and cried after one of the engines burst into flames before the aircraft made a successful emergency landing.
He noted that flight CX170 departed for Hong Kong just before midnight on Thursday, but a defect in the Airbus A330`s engine caused it to divert to Denpasar, where firefighters came to the rescue.
"Mid-flight, we heard a loud bang, and the plane started to shake. All the lights went out, and as I looked through the window, I just saw some flames and sparks coming out of the wing, and the engine was on fire," Sirna stated.
He remarked that the passengers were awoken by the midair drama, which unfolded not far from the Bali coast. Some passengers were highly distressed, and others tried to calm them down. (WDY)
