Malaysia Airlines confirmed to local media outlet Malay Mail that a Boeing 737-800 was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff due to an engine malfunction. The mid-air incident comes only days after outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun testified on Capitol Hill about ongoing investigations into the planemaker’s quality oversight and production failures of its commercial jets. 

The Malaysian airline said Flight MH199 was taking off from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, India, late Thursday when an engine malfunction caused one of the 737-800’s engines to erupt into flames.

The pilot in command of the plane was forced to return to the airport. 

Footage of the engine malfunction was captured on passengers’ smartphones and uploaded on X. The video is horrifying!  

“Witness reports indicate that sparks were seen coming from one of two the engines on the Boeing 738 aircraft,” Malay Mail said. 

#Malaysian flight MH199 from #Hyderabad to #KualaLumpur catches fire 15 minutes after takeoff.

For the latest news and updates, visit: https://t.co/by4FF5o0Ew pic.twitter.com/nyo8tFQZ5c

— NDTV Profit (@NDTVProfitIndia) June 20, 2024

Malaysia Airlines confirmed the plane landed safely back at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, and all passengers and crew were unharmed. Flight tracking websites, such as Flightradar24, also confirmed the plane landed safely. 

“Affected passengers will be reallocated to other flights for their continued journey. The aircraft is currently on the ground for further inspection,” the airline wrote in a statement.

We wonder if CEO Calhoun’s assistant has supplied him with the news headlines surrounding today’s incident.

In what seems like weekly mid-air mishaps with Boeing jets and developments surrounding new or ongoing investigations into these jets, the public’s trust in the planemaker severely wanes.