A Malaysia Airlines passenger jet aborted its takeoff after black smoke billowed from one of its engines at Japan's Narita International Airport on Thursday, prompting authorities to close a runway for about two and a half hours. All 160 people on board escaped without injury.
According to NHK and Kyodo News, Malaysia Airlines Flight 89 — an Airbus A330 bound for Kuala Lumpur — was taxiing down the runway at around 10:40 a.m. when the crew detected an engine malfunction and halted the departure.
An airport official reported the incident to the fire department, saying what appeared to be black smoke was visible coming from one of the aircraft's engines. Investigators subsequently determined that a defect had likely occurred in the left engine.
All 160 passengers and crew members on board were accounted for with no injuries. Malaysia Airlines operates out of Terminal 2 at Narita Airport, according to the airport's official information.
Airport authorities immediately suspended operations on Runway A — one of two runways at the airport — to manage the scene and conduct safety checks. The closure lasted approximately two and a half hours.
During the inspection, crews found multiple fragments of aircraft parts on and around the runway, believed to have fallen from the plane. Live footage from local media cameras showed the aircraft stationary on the runway, surrounded by fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
The prolonged closure disrupted departures and arrivals for some flights using Narita Airport. Authorities are investigating the exact cause and circumstances of the left-engine anomaly based on the recovered parts and the condition of the aircraft.
Narita Airport has seen similar incidents in the past. In August 2024, a Singapore Airlines Boeing 787 reported smoke from its left engine after landing, leading to a roughly 50-minute runway closure. No injuries were reported in that incident either.
In May, Runway A was also closed after a passenger jet made an emergency landing at Narita due to a tire problem and came to a stop on the runway.
sjy@heraldcorp.com
