Engine defect prompts Cathay Pacific flight to divert to Bali

DENPASAR, Indonesia - An Airbus A330 carrying 267 people from Australia to Hong Kong made an emergency landing in Bali on Friday, but the airline denied claims that a fire had broken out in an engine.

Cathay Pacific flight CX170 was en route from the western Australian city of Perth when it was diverted to the Indonesian resort island due to an engine failure.

"The engine was shut down and emergency landing was declared," Cathay said in a statement, adding that the aircraft landed safely in Denpasar and all passengers and crew were unharmed.

Passenger Joel Sirna told an Australian radio station that there was a bang on the flight, which was carrying 254 passengers and 13 crew.

"Mid-flight, we heard a loud bang and the plane started to shake, all the lights went out and I looked to the window and have just seen some flames and some sparks -- the wing and the motor was on fire," he told 6PR radio.

"There were a few people that were pretty shaken. The girl next to me started freaking out and crying."

However Cathay Pacific, which has launched a probe into the incident, said there was no engine fire.

"We can confirm that what witnesses saw was a light due to the engine failure, not a real fire," the airline said in a statement. There was also no fire onboard, it added.

Sherly Yunita, a spokeswoman for Bali airport operator Angkasa Pura, confirmed the flight made an emergency landing on the island at 3:35 am (1935 GMT Thursday) due to a "technical problem".

"No other flights were disrupted because the plane made a perfect landing, with no issues," she said, adding the aircraft remained at Bali airport Friday where it was being repaired.