Pilot Lands Jumbo Jet With Hole In Wing

Pilot lands jumbo jet with hole in wing

A pilot has managed to turn back and land a jumbo jet safety, with about 300 people on board, after it lost part of its wing on a flight from Hong Kong to Thailand, officials said today.

Orient Thai Airlines flight OX262 to Chiang Mai had been in the air for 18 minutes on Thursday when the crew radioed Hong Kong for permission to return because of an unspecified mechanical problem, said Grace Ng, a spokeswoman for the Civil Aviation Department.

Passengers were alarmed to see the gap in the left wing of the Boeing 747-200.

They took pictures through the cabin windows, later handing them to newspapers which published them today.

After the plane landed, Hong Kong ground inspectors found that the top of the wing was missing a panel that measured 80cm by 100cm, Ng said.

Ng said there had been no danger of a crash.

The Oriental Daily News said about 300 people were on the flight. Ng could not confirm passenger numbers.

The airline and manufacturer Boeing did not immediately return phone calls.

-- AP 2003-12-08