A Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight bound for Bangkok, Thailand, was forced to return to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila shortly after departing on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, due to a hydraulic issue.
The incident involved PAL flight PR-730, operated by a Boeing 777-3U3(ER) aircraft with the registration RP-C7783. According to PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna, the flight departed NAIA at 10:02 AM local time.
“PAL confirms that PR730 (to Bangkok) returned to Manila due to a technical issue with the aircraft.”
Philippine Airlines Spokesperson Cielo Villaluna
Data from the flight tracking website FlightRadar24.com indicates that the aircraft reached an altitude of 24,000 feet at 10:14 AM before initiating a descent and turning back towards Manila. The flight touched down safely at NAIA at 10:45 AM.
Upon arrival, NAIA’s aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicles were activated and positioned on standby as a precautionary measure.
While PAL has not officially confirmed the specific nature of the technical problem, eyewitness videos and photographs obtained by AUP show that the landing gear doors on RP-C7783 remained open and unretracted after landing, suggesting a potential hydraulic issue.
All 259 passengers were promptly accommodated on the next available flight to Bangkok, minimizing the disruption caused by the incident.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. The safety of our passengers remains a top priority,” Villaluna said.
RP-C7783 is the latest addition to PAL’s fleet, having only received the plane early April.
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