An Asiana Airlines passenger plane, which had departed from Incheon and was heading to Tokyo, Japan, returned due to engine problems.
According to Asiana Airlines, on the 21st at around 6:49 p.m., flight OZ108 from Incheon International Airport to Narita Airport detected a problem with one of its engines during operation. It was reported that sparks flew from the engine and smoke followed.
The passenger plane returned following safety procedures and landed at Incheon Airport at approximately 7:42 p.m., about an hour after departure. Asiana Airlines stated that there were no injuries among the 263 passengers.
Asiana Airlines plans to resume operations the next day at 4:30 a.m. to avoid the nighttime landing restrictions at Narita Airport after replacing the aircraft. Passengers were instructed to rest at the Incheon Airport lounge.
An Asiana Airlines official is conducting a thorough inspection of the returned aircraft to confirm whether there are any issues with the engine itself or signs of bird strikes. The aircraft model is A330-300, and it is 11 years and 8 months old.
An official from Asiana Airlines noted, "The return was an unavoidable measure for safety, and we apologize for the inconvenience to passengers and plan to provide compensation."