SF-bound United Airlines jet returns to Australia due to maintenance issue; 5th incident in a week
SYDNEY -- A United Airlines flight was forced to return to Sydney just two hours into its nearly 14-hour journey to San Francisco, in the carrier's fifth flight incident in seven days.
The Boeing 777-300 aircraft, carrying 183 passengers and crew, was redirected due to a "maintenance issue," according to a statement from United Airlines.
"The plane landed safely, and passengers deplaned normally at the gate. We provided accommodation overnight for passengers and rebooked them to San Francisco," the airline added.
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The incident Monday on United flight 830 is the latest in a string of incidents to hit the US airline in recent days.
Last week, an engine that ingested bubblewrap caught fire midair, while another flight lost a tire after takeoff on Thursday.
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On Friday, a United Airlines aircraft skidded off a runway into a grassy area, and in another incident a flight from San Francisco to Mexico City was diverted to Los Angeles after an issue with the plane's hydraulic system, the airline said.
US aircraft manufacturer Boeing is also under intense scrutiny following a series of quality and safety issues.
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