Air Phil flight to Davao City returns to Mactan airport due to engine trouble

CEBU City, Philippines—An Air Philippines plane returned to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) Wednesday morning 36 minutes after its departure due to what the pilot called engine problem, the MCIA Public Affairs Office said.

Mary Ann Dimabayao, officer in charge of the MCIA Public Affairs Office, said all passengers and crew of Air Philippines 2P 247 flight were safe when it landed at the airport’s runway.

Dimabayao said the left engine of the plane, which departed from MCIA at 9:15 a.m., was not functioning while airborne en route to Davao City.

Richard Quiñanola of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said that at 9:36 a.m., the pilot of the plane informed air traffic controllers at the MCIA about the left engine’s problem.

Quiñanola said the plane, an Airbus 320, made a safe landing at the MCIA at 9:51 a.m.

The staff of Air Philippines said the 2P 247 flight had 121 passengers and six crew members.

Only 106 passengers agreed to be transferred to another plane, which departed at 11:23 a.m. for Davao City.