Malaysia Airlines flight diverted to Chennai after engine issue
Malaysia Airlines MH156 diverted to Chennai from Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah due to Engine No. 2 fault; 186 on board. Air India Express IX682 also diverted to Chennai for a separate engine issue; both aircraft landed safely and are under technical assessment.
Key takeaways
- MH156 was diverted to Chennai from Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah because of Engine No. 2 issues and landed safely.
- A full emergency was declared at Chennai, and passengers were accommodated at the airport during technical checks.
- IX682 was diverted to Chennai due to a separate engine issue and also landed safely with operations reported normal.
What Happened
Malaysia Airlines flight MH156, operating from Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah with 186 people on board, was diverted to Chennai International Airport after a technical issue involving Engine No. 2. A full emergency was declared at Chennai airport, and the aircraft landed safely before being towed to a parking bay for further assessment. Passengers were provided accommodation at the airport and later moved to a nearby hotel as engineers reviewed the fault. Separately, Air India Express flight IX682, from Tiruchirappalli to Singapore with 170 passengers, was diverted to Chennai due to a separate technical issue. A local standby was declared, emergency response arrangements were kept ready, and the aircraft landed safely and vacated the runway under its own power.
Key Facts
- MH156 diverted from Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah to Chennai due to Engine No. 2 fault.
- Emergency declaration occurred at Chennai airport; aircraft landed at 4:44 pm local time.
- 186 people were on MH156; aircraft towed to parking bay for assessment; passengers provided accommodation at the airport, then hotel transfer.
- IX682 diverted from Tiruchirappalli to Singapore to Chennai due to a separate engine issue.
- Local standby declared at 5:38 pm; IX682 landed at 5:52 pm and vacated the runway under its own power.
- Airport operations at Chennai reported as normal after both diversions.
- Engineering and technical teams from the airlines were assessing the reported issues at the time of reporting.
What Happens Next
Airline engineering and technical teams are conducting assessments of the reported engine issues for both aircraft to determine the cause and any required actions before resuming service or redeploying the aircraft.
Background
The diversions occurred on the same day at Chennai International Airport, with a second aircraft (IX682) diverted for a separate technical fault. Airport officials stated that operations remained normal during the incidents, and emergency response arrangements were activated as a precaution.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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