SilkAir makes emergency landing in Haikou due to typhoon

SINGAPORE - A SilkAir flight from Singapore to Hainan Island was forced to make an emergency landing on Tuesday due to extreme weather.

Flight MI8334, which was bound for popular tourist destination Sanya, departed Singapore at 7.05am. The plane was diverted to north Hainan instead, landing safely at Haikou airport at 11.05 local time, reported Channel NewsAsia.

A SilkAir spokesperson said the diversion was due to adverse weather conditions from Typhoon Kujira.

Arrangements were made to transfer the passengers to Sanya via high-speed rail.

Typhoon Kujira made landfall in south China's Hainan province on Monday evening. It is the first typhoon to hit China this year, reported CCTV.

klim@sph.com.sg