Flight CX255 with 248 passengers onboard diverted to Chongqing shortly after 4am following take off from Hong Kong.

According to one passenger, called Kelvin, on the flight posted on a FlyerTalk forum that the aircraft landed “surrounded by emergency vehicles” after one of the Boeing 777’s two engines oil pressure dropped below the minimum safety threshold.

The 33-year-old Hong Kong-based business class passenger travelling to London for a holiday gave the South China Morning Post a detailed account of the situation.

“We were just over Chengdu when the captain came on and said we were returning to Hong Kong due to an engine problem, and we were turning back immediately,” he said.

“Less than two minutes later, the captain came on again and said that the problem appeared to be worse than he thought and we would be landing in Chongqing.

“We circled around CKG (Chongqing) for about 20-30 minutes to dump fuel before we could land. “Upon landing, we were surrounded by emergency vehicles. The captain explained that we had a problem with the “oil pressure in the engine falling to very low levels.”

The traveller praised the captain for repeatedly reassuring passengers the diversion was “precautionary and there was no danger”. He described passengers has being calm, good-natured and heard no complaints from other travellers.
However, he expressed disappointment with Cathay’s standards after no staff came forward to update the situation three hours after the emergency.

The airline said the flight landed safely in Chongqing and did not report any passenger or crew injuries.

In a statement, Cathay Pacific confirmed: “The diversion which was due to an oil pressure indication on the number two engine was a precautionary measure in accordance with the standard operating procedures.”

A rescue plane and extra crew sent from Hong Kong to pick up the passengers and continue onwards to London Heathrow from 2pm on Saturday.

The airline apologised for the inconvenience to passengers.

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