Passengers on a Malaysian Airlines flight forced to land in Alice Springs due to technical issues have described their fear after the plane began rattling.
Flight MH122 from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur was close to the West Australian coastline when it was forced to divert to Alice Springs on Thursday afternoon.
Sanjeev Pandey, travelling with two of his friends to Mumbai via Kuala Lumpur, spoke to SBS News about the panic on board when the engine of the plane started to make "unusual noises".
"It was around three-and-a-half hours since we left Sydney and everything was going well, but all of a sudden the engine started to make a very unusual noise and the sound started getting louder and louder," Mr Pandey told SBS News.
"It was very strange, I thought there was some turbulence due to the bad weather, but as the rattling started to get louder and louder everyone started to get scared.
"The flight crew also seemed clueless about what was going on and there was no announcement from the captain, so it made the situation even more tense and confusing and everyone looked very scared."
Mr Pandey said people were preparing for the worst during the rattling and loud noises.
"I have never experienced a situation like that in my life," he said.
"Once the noise stopped and the pilot said we are going back to Alice Springs for an emergency landing, I felt relieved... because it looked like the situation is under control and we will be safe.
Sanjeev Pandey (pictured left) with friends Keshab Sapkota (pictured middle) and Om Gautam (pictured right). Source: Sanjeev Pandey
Malaysia Airlines flight MH122. Source: Sanjeev Pandey
"But all of the passengers they still seemed very worried, some were praying, some were crying and the situation was tense and scary.
"They started to have a demonstration for the safety postures for an emergency landing. At that stage, it looked like there was going to be a crash landing. But after another 30 minutes, the pilot said the landing would be smooth and then we felt more relieved."
Mr Pandey said he was thankful to the crew and the groundstaff for looking after them during the ordeal.
Passenger Maryna Delport Evetts said engine problems had been blamed for the diversion.
An image of what's believed to be inside the plane, via Sanjeev Pandey. Source: Facebook
"So just when you think this would never happen to you or it just happens in the movies, on our flight back home, four hours into the journey we had engine failure," Ms Evetts posted to Facebook.
"We turned back and we are now sitting at the Airport in Alice Springs. Not too sure when we will be leaving but hey ho, we are on terra firma. Not a good feeling 10,000 feet up in the air."
Malyasian Airlines said the plane was forced to land in the Northern Territory for "technical reasons" in a statement.
"The A330-300 aircraft safely landed in Alice Springs Airport at 5.48pm," the statement said.
"MH122 departed Sydney Airport at 1.06pm and was scheduled to arrive Kuala Lumpur at 6.30pm the same day."
"Safety at all times is Malaysia Airlines' number one priority. The airline will provide more updates as soon as more information is made available."
Chris Kanani, the husband of a passenger aboard, told ABC his wife described the experience as "hell".
"She said she was on the loo when she started hearing loud banging noises from the right-hand side of the plane and that's when all it started," Mr Kanani told the ABC.
"It was like hell this flight and they were told to be ready for an emergency landing."
Another passenger told the ABC there was "very violent shaking" during the flight and passengers had braced for a rough landing.
Malaysia Airlines said safety was its number one priority, and it would provide more information on the technical issue when it was available.
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