A Malaysia Airlines plane’s wheels refused to stow after takeoff
on 24-04-2014 Thursday, forcing a second flight by the flag-carrier to turn
back in four days as it continues to reel from the loss of flight MH370.
The ATR 72 prop-plane, belonging to MAS subsidiary
Firefly, departed Penang International Airport at 6.55am and turned back 15
minutes after because the aircraft’s landing gear couldn’t retract.
“As safety is of utmost priority to Firefly Airlines, the
aircraft was required to turn back to Penang,” Firefly said in a statement. Flight
FY1002/MH9948, bound for the northern Malaysian city of Kota Bharu, landed
safely in Penang at 7.30am, it said.
The plane with 64 passengers and four crew members on
board disembarked from the aircraft after a “normal landing”, according to
Firefly, adding that the rescue service was not required to intervene.
“The crew handled the situation very professionally,”
said a passenger quoted by Malaysiakini, a Malaysian news website.
Firefly said passengers of FY1002 were transferred to a
new aircraft that took off at 8.50am. The plane landed at Kota Bharu about an
hour later the same day.
The incident occurred just days after Malaysia Airlines
flight MH192 made an emergency landing in Kuala Lumpur due to a burst tyre,
striking a blow to the company’s safety image.