A Bangalore-bound Malaysian Airlines plane with 166 people on board, which turned back shortly after take-off last night due to problem in its landing gear, flew into the international airport here today with the passengers recounting the harrowing mid-air scare.
"The plane landed at the Kempe Gowda International Airport (KGIA) here exactly at 4.57 pm," airport sources said.
Flight MH192 had turned back shortly after take-off last night due to problem in its landing gear and landed safely at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 1.56 am (local time).
Malaysia Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein earlier said on his Twitter feed that a tyre was reported to have burst on take-off.
The jet, operated on the B737-800 aircraft, had departed from Kuala Lumpur at 10.09 pm (0721 IST) and was scheduled to arrive here at 11.35 pm (local time) here yesterday.
The passengers, on landing at the airport here this evening, heaved a sigh of relief after they underwent a harrowing time in air for nearly three to four hours.
Speaking to reporters, Tejeswi Shetty said the experience was scary not only for her but all her co-passengers. "Those were scary moments. Everyone was anxious. Some others were praying and few comforting each other," she said.
"Actually soon after the take-off itself we heard a sound. It was like a tyre burst type. Then it was like fully shaking. Immediately after the take-off the pilot announced that the plane is returning to Kuala Lampur due to techinal snag," Shetty said.
"We were four hours in the air. The pilot made two attempts to land the aircraft, but he did so on third attempt," she said.
She, however, had words of appreciation for the crew, especially the pilot. "The crew was very good. Even the pilot was often talking to us," she said.
Another woman passenger said after being in the air for four hours, the plane finally landed because they wanted to finish off the fuel which was there in the flight. "Landing - we were scared but was fine. We were all praying too," she said.
