KUCHING, Oct 22 — Malaysia Airlines is conducting a thorough review to understand the cause of a cabin pressure issue that occurred on flight MH2742, which was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Bintulu yesterday.
In a statement, the airline said the review aims to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
Malaysia Airlines said the operating crew conducted a precautionary descent and deployed the oxygen masks in accordance with standard safety procedures.
“The aircraft landed safely at Bintulu Airport at 10.31am,” it said, adding that there were no safety concerns for passengers or crew at any time.
Malaysia Airlines apologised for the disruption to passengers’ travel plans and reaffirmed that the safety and well-being of our customers and crew remain its highest priority.
The incident drew public attention after passenger Abdul Jalil Bujang described a harrowing experience on Facebook, when the aircraft reportedly lost cabin pressure mid-flight.
According to his post, the incident occurred about two hours into the flight, when passengers heard “strange noises” before oxygen masks dropped from the overhead compartments.
“Everything was fine until around 10am, when I heard several unusual sounds. I turned to look at another passenger who appeared equally alarmed,” he wrote.
Moments later, Abdul Jalil said the aircraft seemed to descend rapidly, and the captain declared an emergency, instructing passengers to use the oxygen masks.
“Although flight attendants always brief passengers on how to use safety equipment, most of us take it lightly. But during the emergency, it was chaotic. The oxygen mask near us got tangled and had to be shared among three passengers,” he recalled.
Abdul Jalil admitted that the experience made him fear the worst. He decided to record a short video, believing it could be a final memory for his family if the situation turned tragic.
“In my heart, I thought this might be our last flight together. I wanted to leave behind something for my children, grandchildren, and loved ones,” he said.
During the ordeal, he said he reflected deeply on his faith and mortality.
“At that moment, I felt completely helpless. There was no steering wheel, no brake, nothing I could control. I could only breathe into the small plastic mask and pray to Allah SWT for our safety.”
He said the plane continued to descend until the captain later announced that it was flying at 10,000 feet, which brought relief to passengers.
“The sense of calm slowly returned when I heard the captain’s voice again, and flight attendants began moving about. The announcement that we would land at 10.35am in Bintulu, with light rain, confirmed that we were safe,” he said. — The Borneo Post
