PHUKET, Thailand (7 Apr 2005) -- A plane which was grounded twice earlier this week with fuel gushing from a wing was yesterday involved in a fresh safety scare. A Phuket Air Boeing 747 bound for Bangkok was forced to return to London Gatwick airport after developing hydraulics problems a few hours into its journey. Passengers described how they were gripped with terror as one of the jet's engines had to be shut down mid-flight and 50 tonnes of fuel dumped before the plane landed. Officials have now grounded the aircraft, and it will not be allowed to fly out of Britain until the damaged engine is repaired or replaced. The plane was the same craft which was grounded twice in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday as fuel flooded from a wing. Pilots abandoned two take-off attempts as passengers threatened to storm the cockpit. The 200 Britons on board were left stranded. In yesterday's incident, the plane was carrying 82 people. It took off from Gatwick at 8.30am and landed back at the airport at 11.37am. | | Passenger Mike McElhinney, from Frome, Somerset, said even the crew looked terrified. He added: ' Knowing they were scared made it much worse. It was the longest hour of my life. Grown men were weeping.' Other passengers said the plane was in poor condition, with broken interior lights and torn seats. Phuket Air claims all its aircraft are only 15 years old and in good condition. But Boeing reportedly said the carrier's 747s were 25 years old. |
