The Cebu Pacific Air A320 Airbus had to make an emergency landing at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), Malaysia after a suspected problem to the aircraft’s engine late Wednesday.
It is believed the plane carrying 92 people comprising crew members and passengers, which took off from Cebu in the Philippines at 7:55 p.m., had encountered problems with its left engine during the flight. The pilot then proceeded for an emergency landing at 10:22 p.m., The Star reported.
The travelers from Cebu, a mix of Filipinos and Singaporeans, had been put up in a hotel in Kota Kinabalu by the Philippine airline.
But despite on-site assistance from airline staff, passengers who spoke to The Straits Times said they decided not to wait another night to complete what was meant to be a routine four-hour journey to Singapore.
Many had already left Malaysia at their own expense after spending a night in Kota Kinabalu to catch up on lost time in Singapore.