A Lufthansa Airbus A350 aircraft leaving Cape Town was forced to make an emergency landing in Luanda, Angola leaving 271 passengers stranded for more than 20 hours on 3 December.
The plane experienced a technical irregularity in an engine display while en route from South Africa to Munich, Germany, forcing a diversion to the central African nation.
‘The cockpit crew then decided to shut down one engine for landing as a precaution and to land in Luanda with priority status,’ the airline told Business Insider. ‘The aircraft landed safely. Safety on board was not compromised at any time.’
According to The Aviation Herald, the plane was still on the ground in Luanda 20 hours after landing and needed its left engine replaced. Meanwhile, according to German news channel NTV, the Angolan military confiscated the passengers’ passports in Luanda because they did not have the proper entry documents, and passengers were stuck on the plane for hours before being allowed to disembark.
The passengers were eventually given a hotel room, where they were looked after around the clock by Lufthansa staff. Each customer’s flight was rebooked within 48 hours.
Picture: Getaway gallery
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