AirAsia Zest jet returns after suffering engine trouble in China

MANILA, Philippines - An AirAsia Zest jet managed to return and safely land at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after suffering engine trouble in China, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reported yesterday.

The CAAP Rescue Coordinating Center said AirAsia Zest Flight EZD 063 encountered engine trouble while cruising above Guangzhou last Saturday night.

The Airbus 320 jet suffered what experts call “engine bleed” in engine number 2 at around 7:23 p.m. while inside Guangzhou airspace, the CAAP said.

Pilots Capt. Allan Roque and First Officer Dennis Surficial decided to turn back the plane and as the aircraft was about 190 nautical miles from Manila, the plane’s engine number 1 stopped.

The pilot made an early preemptive descent but cabin pressure continued to rise, the CAAP said.

The pilots made a fast emergency descent and declared the situation to the air traffic controller.

The cabin oxygen masks deployed automatically while the crew attended to passengers, the CAAP added.

The AirAsia Zest pilots safely landed the aircraft at the NAIA runway at around 8:38 p.m. and no one was reported injured.