Kota Kinabalu: Passengers on an AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan had a fright after the aircraft was forced to turn back to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) following a technical issue shortly after take-off on Tuesday.
A passenger, identified as Hajah Tuti, claimed in a viral Facebook post that flames were seen coming from the aircraft’s right engine about 25 minutes into the flight, causing panic among passengers.
She said passengers recited the syahadah while fearing for their safety, describing the incident as a near “Final Destination” moment.
According to her, the pilot managed to regain control of the situation and safely returned the aircraft to KLIA, where fire engines and ambulances were on standby during landing.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) confirmed the aircraft requested to return to Kuala Lumpur due to a technical issue and landed safely.
Flight tracking data showed flight AK5192 departed KLIA at 6.24am before turning back and landing safely at 7.17am.
Many netizens and fellow passengers later expressed relief in the comment section.
Several claimed they were also onboard the flight and described the incident as traumatic but unforgettable.