Australian pilots land plane with ‘no engines’

MELBOURNE - Two pilots saved over 300 passengers yesterday as they landed their plane after both its engines failed.

The captain and first officer battled for 20 minutes to keep the powerless Airbus 330 from plunging into the sea.

Colleagues hailed the Australian pair as heroes - saying it was a “miracle” that the 322 passengers and crew arrived safely in Hong Kong.

The Cathay Pacific plane’s left-hand engine died shortly after flight CX780 left Surabaya, Indonesia. Since Airbus planes are able to fly safely on one engine, the pilots continued to Hong Kong. But as the jet began its descent into the airport, its second engine repeatedly cut out.

With the engine dead, the plane dropped too low to make the runway - but when it restarted it pushed the plane too high, at speeds “far in excess of normal”.

The pilots half-glided, half-flew into Hong Kong International Airport then stopped the plane with reverse thrust, which set the tyres on fire. Just eight passengers were injured - most as they left on emergency chutes.

Hong Kong air chiefs launched a probe yesterday.(ANI)