A Malaysia Airlines flight was forced to divert to Alice Springs after encountering a technical issue 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 was 1,800 kilometers into the 6,300 kilometer journey, it was forced to perform an emergency landing at Alice Springs Airport (ASP) in the Northern Territory.
A passenger told Australian media outlet SBS that a “low vibration” was felt during the flight. The passenger said the captain soon announced that the engine “had stalled” and they would need to circle for two hours to burn fuel before landing at Alice Springs.
The flight landed safely at Alice Springs at approximately 04:35 local time.
“Malaysia Airlines confirms that flight MH128 on August 19, 2024, from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur, 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 said it re-booked passengers on new flights and arranged accommodation and reimbursements for meal expenses where applicable.
As Alice Springs is a regional and smaller airport, Malaysia Airlines said it is working with the airport handler to address equipment limitations for widebody aircraft and expedite the process.