SEPANG: AirAsia has confirmed that there was no engine fire on flight AK128, which performed a safe air return to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 2 Thursday morning, approximately two hours after takeoff.
In a statement, AirAsia clarified that the flight en route to Shenzhen, China, on Wednesday (March 26) performed a safe air return due to a technical issue in one of the engines that triggered an abnormal indication.
"AirAsia confirms that there was no engine fire.
"Upon inspection, it was found that the indication was due to a damaged duct causing hot air to be released, requiring the aircraft to return to the bay for rectification. It is expected to return to service on March 31,” the statement said.
AirAsia said that throughout the situation, the pilots followed established procedures for this indication and requested a priority landing to ensure the safety of all guests and crew on board.
"The aircraft landed without incident at KLIA Terminal 2 at 12.06am. All 171 guests and six crew members disembarked, and the guests were transferred to another aircraft, which departed at 3.46am.
"The replacement flight landed in Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport at 7.51am, March 27,” the statement said.
In the same statement, Deputy Group CEO (Airline Operations) AirAsia Aviation Group Datuk Captain Chester Voo also clarified that there was no engine fire on flight AK128, as mentioned in recent media reports.
"There was an abnormal indication in one of the engines, and the flight crew acted swiftly and took the appropriate actions, following established safety and operational protocols.
"Our pilots and cabin crew are highly trained to handle such situations, and the aircraft landed safely with no further incident after the appropriate procedures were conducted,” he explained.
He also thanked Malaysia Airports, the Airport Fire and Rescue Service team and relevant safety authorities for their swift response and cooperation.
"We also thank our guests on flight AK128 for their understanding and patience and ensured that a replacement flight was promptly arranged to connect them.
"Safety is always our top priority, and AirAsia remains steadfast in upholding the highest safety standards to ensure the well-being of our passengers and crew at all times,” Voo added.
Earlier, local media reported that an AirAsia flight bound for Shenzhen, China, had to turn back to KLIA Terminal 2 shortly after takeoff due to a reported engine fire. - Bernama
