Gulf Air flight makes emergency landing in Manila after engine failure

A Gulf Air passenger plane is towed by ground crew for inspection after it made an emergency landing in Manila following an engine failure shortly after take-off. Bullit Marquez / AP Photo

MANILA // A Gulf Air flight carrying 219 people to Bahrain landed safely in the Philippine capital on Friday after turning back because of a heat-damaged engine.

The Airbus 330-200 ignited a grass fire at the edge of the runway as it took off and smoke was seen inside the cabin after the plane was airborne, said Ma Fe Malte, an airport traffic management officer.

Gulf Air on Twitter said the flight “suffered from an engine failure” right after take-off from Manila at 1.05pm. It said the plane landed safely “and all passengers disembarked the aircraft.” It said engineers were examining the aircraft now.

Flight 155 had 207 passengers and 12 crew members, Ms Malte said.

Floramina Munzon, a passenger who was seated near the left wing, said she heard something like an explosion after the plane lifted from the ground.

As the twin-engined jet landed safely, the airport’s rescue team and fire engines rushed to the plane. It dumped fuel before landing, but there were no flames and no need to use fire retardant, Ms Malte said. She said the left engine was damaged by the intense heat.

The airline cancelled the flight and booked accommodation for affected passengers, the airport media office said.

* Associated Press