KUALA LUMPUR – A Malaysia Airlhy6y7ines flight carrying 186 passengers bound for Jeddah was forced to execute a dramatic mid-air diversion to Chennai, India, on Monday following a suspected engine failure.
Flight MH156 had departed Kuala Lumpur at 3.30 pm before trouble struck high above the Bay of Bengal. Detecting a critical fault in Engine No. 2, the pilot issued an urgent request to Air Traffic Control for permission to make an emergency landing at Chennai International Airport, according to Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials.
The aircraft touched down safely without incident and was immediately taxied to an isolated parking bay. Ground crews quickly disembarked the 186 passengers, who were subsequently provided with temporary accommodation inside the airport terminal while airline officials managed the sudden crisis.
“There was a technical issue involving Engine No. 2. The airline and relevant technical teams are carrying out further assessment of the aircraft and the issue,” an airport spokesperson confirmed to news agency PTI.
Engineers and aviation safety authorities have launched a full inspection of the jet to determine the root cause of the engine malfunction before clearing the aircraft for service. – September 8, 2026