Stalled engine blamed for jet's emergency landing in Taiwan

TAIPEI -- Aviation regulators in Taiwan said stalled fan blades had forced a Cathay Dragon plane carrying 317 passengers and 13 crew members onboard to make an emergency landing in Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan Monday morning.

Cathay Dragon flight KA451 departed the Kaohsiung International Airport for Hong Kong at 8:02 a.m. and made an emergency landing at about 8:31 a.m. after pilots reported that the fan blades on one of the turboprop engines on the right side had stalled.

The plane, an Airbus 330, was 10 minutes en route from Kaohsiung to Hong Kong when the flight crew realized that one of the engines was emitting smoke. The plane turned around, dumping fuel over the Taiwan Strait before its successful emergency landing, the airport said.

There were no reports of injuries among the people onboard, the airport said.

After the plane safely landed, aviation regulators sent staff for initial investigation, but found no trace of dead bird bodies. Further details are still under investigation.

Cathay Dragon apologized for the delay and arranged alternative flights for passengers.