AirAsia flight to China turns back due to engine fire, lands safely
Flight AK128 on an Airbus, was en route to Shenzhen but turned back to Kuala Lumpur International Airport after a "pneumatic ducting burst" caused a fire in the right engine shortly after its 9:59 pm (1359 GMT) departure on Wednesday, the Selangor state fire department said in a statement.
The fire was completely extinguished by the plane's in-built system before it landed safely slightly after midnight, the department said, adding all 171 passengers and crew were unharmed.
Fire department personnel ensured passengers and crew exited the aircraft and checks were made to ensure no further fires erupted, the department said.
AirAsia's parent company, Capital A, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
28-07-2025
- Khaleej Times
US and EU agree on 15% tariff deal to avert a bigger trade war
The United States struck a framework trade agreement with the European Union on Sunday, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods, half the threatened rate, and averting a bigger trade war between two allies that account for almost a third of global trade. US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the deal at Trump's luxury golf course in western Scotland after an hour-long meeting that pushed the hard-fought deal over the line. "I think this is the biggest deal ever made," Trump told reporters, lauding EU plans to invest some $600 billion in the United States and dramatically increase its purchases of US energy and military equipment. Trump said the deal, which tops a $550 billion deal signed with Japan last week, would expand ties between the trans-Atlantic powers after years of what he called unfair treatment of US exporters. Von der Leyen, describing Trump as a tough negotiator, said the 15% tariff applied "across the board", later telling reporters it was "the best we could get." "We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world, and it's a big deal. It's a huge deal. It will bring stability. It will bring predictability," she said. The deal, which Trump said calls for $750 billion of EU purchases of US energy in coming years and "hundreds of billions of dollars" of arms purchases, likely spells good news for a host of EU companies, including Airbus, Mercedes-Benz and Novo Nordisk, if all the details hold. The baseline 15% tariff will still be seen by many in Europe as too high, compared with Europe's initial hopes to secure a zero-for-zero tariff deal, though it is better than the threatened 30% rate. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal, saying it averted a trade conflict that would have hit Germany's export-driven economy and its large auto sector hard. German carmakers, VW, Mercedes and BMW were some of the hardest hit by the 27.5% US tariff on car and parts imports now in place. The euro rose around 0.2% against the dollar, sterling and yen within an hour of the deal's being announced. Mirror of Japan deal The deal mirrors key parts of the framework accord reached by the US with Japan last week, but like that deal, it leaves many questions open, including tariff rates on spirits, a highly charged topic for many on both sides of the Atlantic. Carsten Nickel, deputy director of research at Teneo, said it was "merely a high-level, political agreement" that could not replace a carefully hammered out trade deal: "This, in turn, creates the risk of different interpretations along the way, as seen immediately after the conclusion of the U.S.-Japan deal." "We are agreeing that the tariff ... for automobiles and everything else will be a straight-across tariff of 15%," Trump said, but he quickly added that a 50% US tariff on steel and aluminium will remain in place. Von der Leyen said that tariffs would be cut and replaced with a quota system. Von der Leyen said the rate also applied to semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, and there would be no tariffs from either side on aircraft and aircraft parts, certain chemicals, certain generic drugs, semiconductor equipment, some agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials. Trump appeared to suggest pharmaceuticals would not be covered, leaving some question about that aspect of the deal. No fact sheet was immediately issued by the White House. "We will keep working to add more products to this list," von der Leyen said, adding that spirits were still under discussion. The deal will be sold as a triumph for Trump, who is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old US trade deficits, and has already reached similar framework accords with Britain, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, although his administration has not hit its goal of "90 deals in 90 days." Arriving in Scotland, Trump said the EU wanted "to make a deal very badly" and said, as he met von der Leyen, that Europe had been "very unfair to the United States".
The National
10-07-2025
- The National
Lars Wagner to become Airbus chief of commercial aircraft unit from January 2026
Airbus said Lars Wagner will become the chief of its commercial aircraft business starting from January 1, 2026, at a time when the company is focused on resolving supply-chain bottlenecks and increasing production. The chief executive of engine parts maker MTU Aero Engines will replace 40-year Airbus veteran Christian Scherer. Mr Wagner will join Airbus from the beginning of November this year to 'ensure a smooth transition' with Mr Scherer, Airbus said on Thursday. Mr Scherer will remain the chief of the commercial aircraft unit until December 31, topping a career spanning more than 40 years in several executive roles with Airbus, the company said. Mr Wagner, 50, has held the position of chief executive of Munich-based MTU Aero Engines since January 2023. Before his appointment as chief executive, and since joining MTU in 2015, Mr Wagner took on the roles of chief operating officer and executive vice president in charge of manufacturing operations. He held a number of management positions at Airbus including in Bremen, Hamburg and Toulouse. Mr Wagner rejoins the company after working there from December 2003 to June 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile. He holds a degree in mechanical and aeronautical engineering as well as an MBA. The decision to replace Mr Scherer, 62, is guided by succession planning, Guillaume Faury, Airbus chief executive, said in a media call in October 2024, according to Bloomberg. The European plane maker in June delivered 63 aircraft and recorded 203 gross orders, which included some of the commitments it won at the Paris Air Show last month. Year-to-date deliveries until June reached 306 handovers to 65 customers. Airbus is struggling to reach its production targets as it struggles with engine shortages and other supplier bottlenecks. The European manufacturer also faces uncertainty as US tariffs are set to hit the EU bloc's exports as soon as August 1. Meanwhile its US arch-rival Boeing delivered 60 aircraft in June, its best level in 18 months, putting it level with Airbus. Boeing's June delivery performance reflects improvements in its factories and resuming of US aircraft exports to China. In the year to June, Boeing delivered 280 commercial planes and in the second quarter delivered 150 aircraft, it said in a July 8 statement.
Web Release
20-06-2025
- Web Release
Nissan to Livestream World Premiere of All-New Patrol NISMO From the Middle East
Nissan to Livestream World Premiere of All-New Patrol NISMO From the Middle East Dubai, UAE (20 June 2025) – Nissan is set to strengthen its performance-focused lineup in the Middle East with the highly anticipated NISMO event, taking place in Dubai on 24 June 2025. Customers, media, influencers and automotive enthusiasts are invited to join the live global streaming of the event: unveiling the all-new Patrol NISMO – marking its world premiere, and the new Nissan Z NISMO – making its regional debut. · Date: Tuesday, 24th June 2025 · Time: 7:30PM GST (GMT +4) · Worldwide Livestream Link on YouTube: The livestream will showcase Nissan's latest NISMO icons in the Middle East, spearheading the Red Ring Society and offering viewers a first look at Nissan's next generation of bold design and motorsport-inspired innovation. Don't miss out this exclusive opportunity to celebrate the passion and precision of NISMO.
