PETALING JAYA: A Malaysia Airlines flight from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur was diverted to the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Vietnam Sunday morning, due to a technical issue.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH79 encountered the issue during “cruising”, as quoted by the New Straits Times reported, citing the airline’s statement.
“In the interest of safety, the pilot in command decided to divert to ensure the issue was rectified before proceeding to the intended destination, Kuala Lumpur.
“At no time was safety compromised,” the statement was quoted as saying.
Flight MH79 was shown earlier on air traffic website FlightRadar24 diverting to Ho Chi Minh City at 9.27am today.
The flight carrying 147 passengers and seven crew members landed safely in Vietnam at 10.40am local time, according to the statement.
“Passengers are currently being reallocated to alternative carriers to ensure they reach their destinations while some are accommodated at hotels near the airport,” the statement added.
Malaysia Aviation Group, in August, reportedly announced a temporary reduction in flights for Malaysia Airlines following a series of disruptions.
MAG managing-director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail stated that the move was necessary to ensure corrective measures are executed for long-term reliability of the airline’s fleet and thus lessen the number of flight disruptions.