Chinese plane lands safely after reports of smoke in cabin

Chinese plane lands safely after reports of smoke in cabin
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

BEIJING, FEBRUARY 23: A Chinese passenger plane made an emergency landing 20 minutes after take-off from East China's Hangzhou city on Wednesday, when thick smoke began to fill the cabin area, an official report said.

No injuries were reported by the crew or 43 passengers on board the plane bound for Wenzhou, a city in Zhejiang province, Xinhua news agency said.

The plane started the flight from Hefei, capital of Anhui province and made a stop-over in Hangzhou.

Shortly after departure from Hangzhou, the crew smelled smoke and the plane began to shake. The crew calmed the frightened passengers, and pilots returned the plane safely to Jianqiao airport about ten minutes later.

Passengers were re-routed to their destinations on two other flights.

A mechanical malfunction has been listed as the cause of the problem, the report said.