A China Eastern flight was compelled to execute an emergency landing due to midflight engine damage. Video footage allegedly captured on the China Eastern Airbus A330-300 revealed the plane shaking violently as it was rerouted from its original course to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN).
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Flight MU721 departed from HKG on December 3, 2023, just after 8:30 am local time, and was scheduled to reach its destination approximately six hours later. Passengers reportedly heard a loud explosion, and subsequent images shared on social media depicted one of the plane’s Rolls Royce engines with two severely damaged blades.
China Eastern Airlines flight MU721, from Shanghai Hongqiao to Hong Kong, Airbus A330-300 (B-8970) experienced sudden vibrations inside cabin due to suspected engine failure. Originally scheduled to land at Hong Kong International Airport at 10:50 am, has been diverted to Xiamen… pic.twitter.com/ovV1P6AsMe
— Eliteworld (@eliteworldwaves) December 3, 2023
Another image showed a small tear in another part of the plane’s exterior, presumably where one of the blades had struck. It is believed that the Airbus A330 experienced engine failure, causing the aircraft to shake violently. A passenger on the flight recorded a video from inside the aircraft, showing the cabin shaking uncontrollably as passengers gripped the seats in front of them.
The Airbus, registered as B-8970, is seven years old. There have been no reports of injuries to passengers or crew. The passengers were later accommodated on another flight that landed in Xiamen the same day.
