PUTRAJAYA — A Malaysia Airlines flight, MH79, en route from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur was diverted to Ho Chi Minh City Airport, Vietnam, due to a technical issue encountered during cruising.
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) confirmed the diversion of the aircraft which carried 147 passengers and seven crew members.
“The pilot in command made the decision to divert the flight as a precautionary measure to address the issue before continuing to Kuala Lumpur,” the statement read.
“At no point was safety compromised.”
Passengers are being reallocated to alternative carriers to ensure they reach their destinations, while others are being accommodated at nearby hotels.
“Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and the disruption to our passengers’ travel plans,” MAG said.
The flight was scheduled to depart from Hong Kong at 9.05 am local time today, and took off at 9.27 am.
About two-and-a-half hours later, the Boeing 737-800 plane landed in Vietnam at 10.40 am local time.
Malaysia Airlines flights have been beset with several cases of delays and diversion since last year, owing to delayed delivery of new planes and issues with aging aircraft.
In August, MAG group managing director Datuk Izham Ismail said the company decided to reduce its flights and routes until end of the year to take “corrective measures”.
Izham said the decision to reduce its network was “temporary”, during which time steps will be taken to address the root causes of operational difficulties.
He said service disruptions had been the result of supply chain constraints, manpower challenges, and other external factors as part of the continuing normalisation of global aviation operations post-pandemic. – November 24, 2024