Passengers onboard Malaysia Airline Flight MH2718 shaken but not injured in landing mishap

SIBU: A Malaysian Airline Boeing 737-800 aircraft arriving from Kuala Lumpur skidded upon landing at the airport here at 10.17 last night during heavy rain.

Malaysia Airline Flight MH2718 was carrying 61 passengers and a crew of six.

Malaysian Airlines has issued a statement saying all all onboard safely disembarked via two slide rafts and no injuries were reported.

A passenger told thesundaypost the flight went through turbulence in a thunderstorm as it was nearing the airport.

He said the plane which was supposed to land at 9.30pm had to circle above Sibu for half an hour.

He said the pilot attempted to land at 10pm but was unsuccessful and had to pull up into the air again.

“He made the second attempt shortly and on touching down, the front wheel of the plane seemed to have been damaged and the plane skidded on the runway. We all made the emergency exit by sliding.”

The shaken passengers were drennched in the rain but were grateful they were safe.

Medical personnel were on standby to check them once they entered the arrival hall.

Malaysia Airport manager here Zainuddin Abu Nazir said a special team from Department of Civil Aviation will fly in from Kuala Lumpur today to conduct an investigation on the incident.

He added the airport management will do its best to open the airport by this morning and that the airlines and passengers would be informed on the situation.

Earlier report: Plane skids upon landing at Sibu Airport