Hong Kong Airlines plane issues mayday call amid runway closure in Taipei
Debris on runway forced three aircraft to circle above Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport while alerting ground control to fuel concerns
A Hong Kong Airlines flight was among three aircraft forced to circle above Taoyuan airport in Taiwan and issue mayday distress calls over fuel concerns after a runway closure disrupted arrivals.
In reply to the South China Morning Post on Monday, the airline said the crew of flight HX260 from Hong Kong to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport had requested a priority landing on safety grounds.
According to audio clips circulating online, the cabin crew made three mayday calls at around 7pm on Sunday, with a pilot heard in the recordings telling air traffic control the aircraft had a fuel emergency.
The aircraft eventually landed at 7.15pm, nearly an hour behind its scheduled arrival time of 6.20pm.
Two other flights encountered similar situations.
Shortly before HX260’s distress call, EVA Air flight BR392 declared mayday at 6.52pm, followed by flight BR007 at 6.57pm, both citing fuel concerns while circling above the airport.
A mayday call is an international distress signal used by pilots to declare an emergency posing serious and imminent danger, such as engine failure, fire or loss of control, that requires immediate assistance.