Passengers on a Bali-bound AirAsia flight reported seeing flames coming from the engine before the plane was forced to return to Perth Airport.
Flight QZ545 took off from Perth around 6:30 pm yesterday, but engine problems required the pilot to fly in circles near Rottnest Island to burn fuel, ensuring the aircraft was at a safe weight for landing. During this time, the cabin lights went out completely. Some passengers captured videos showing the plane being met by fire trucks upon landing.
“At first we thought it was lightning, but we were on the exit row so we had the full advantage,” one passenger told 9News. “You can see just going bang, and you can see the sort of explosion and the flames.”
The Airbus A320 landed safely about one hour after take-off. Perth Airport confirmed the incident and said passengers were rescheduled onto two flights the following morning. AirAsia has been contacted for comment.
