A Malaysia Airlines flight had to be diverted to Alice Springs after a technical problem occurred en route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL).
Flight MH 128 departed Melbourne Airport (MEL) on August 19, 2024 at approximately 23:20 local time.
When the A330-323 aircraft had completed 1,800 kilometres of its 6,300-kilometre journey, it had to make an emergency landing at Alice Springs Airport (ASP) in the Northern Territory.
One passenger told Australian media outlet SBS that a “slight vibration” was felt during the flight. The captain announced shortly afterwards that the engine had “failed” and they would have to circle for two hours to burn off fuel before they could land in Alice Springs, he said.
The flight landed safely in Alice Springs at approximately 04:35 local time.
“Malaysia Airlines confirms that flight MH128 from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur on 19 August 2024 was diverted to Alice Springs Airport (ASP) due to a technical issue. The aircraft landed safely at 04:35 local time,” the airline said in a statement.
The airline also announced that it had rebooked passengers on new flights and taken care of accommodation and, if necessary, reimbursement of meal costs.
Since Alice Springs is a smaller regional airport, Malaysia Airlines says it is working with the airport operator to resolve the equipment restrictions for wide-body aircraft and speed up the process.
