Terrified passengers on Malaysia Airlines flight MH122 feared for their lives when the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Alice Springs.
The fight left Sydney around 1pm on Thursday and was en-route to Kuala Lumpur, when the plane lost power.
Describing the horror flight, traumatised travellers said crew members alerted them to ‘brace for impact’ four hours into the flight.
“It was quite scary. We were sitting right on the wing in the aisle and we could hear the motor stop,” one passenger told 9 News.
“The engine completely stopped on the left-hand side.”
“‘It was a real gravelly noise and then the aeroplane just started shaking. The staff seemed to be rushing around for a while,” explained another traveller.
Passengers of the Malaysia Airlines flight felt a massive vibration before being told by flight crew to ‘brace for impact’. Image: Sanjeev Pandey
Passenger Maryna Delport Evetts took to Facebook to describe the nightmare flight which to her, felt like something out of a movie.
“So just when you think this would never happen to you or it just happens in the movies, on our flight back home, four hours into the journey we had engine failure, sh-t sh-t sh-t,” she wrote.
“We turned back and we are now sitting at the airport in Alice Springs. Not too sure when we will be leaving but hey ho, we are on terra firma. Not a good feeling 10,000 feet up in the air.”
The plane was travelling over Broome with 224 passengers on board when vibrations began, forcing flight staff to begin its emergency landing procedure.
Passenger Donna Edwards, who was travelling to London, told 9news.com.au the vibration was a complete shock.
“The lights had just been turned off and everyone was settled in,” she said.
“All of sudden a massive vibration, the whole plane was shaking.”
Edwards explained the passengers held hands and braced for 30 minutes before the crew announced everyone should “brace for impact.” Edwards witnessed a fellow passenger asking a crew member if they were crashing or landing.
“The crew member said ‘I don’t know’. We were just bracing for the worst. I thought I was going to die,” she said.
Fearful passengers were relieved when the aircraft landed safely in Alice Springs. Image: Sanjeev Pandey
Thankfully, the plane landed safely at Alice Springs, where the airline arranged accommodation for passengers.
Malaysia Airlines have released a statement saying the plane “experienced a technical fault on one of the aircraft’s engines.”
“Safety was not at any time compromised and the commanding captain decided to divert the flight for technical assistance,” the statement said.
“Malaysia Airlines is also working very hard to reallocate passengers with onward connections on to the next available flights to their destination.”
“Safety at all times is Malaysia Airlines’ number one priority.”
