Boeing plane in Indonesia makes emergency landing after engine fire
A GMF AeroAsia employee walks past a Garuda Indonesia Boeing 747 aircraft on the tarmac at GMF AeroAsia's hangar, Tangerang, Indonesia, Jan. 12, 2011. (Reuters File Photo)


A passenger plane made an emergency landing after one of its engines caught fire following takeoff in Indonesia on Thursday.

A Boeing plane operated by Garuda Indonesia, en route to the city of Madinah, Saudi Arabia, had taken off from Makassar, on Indonesia's eastern Sulawesi Island, with 468 passengers on board, according to local broadcaster Kompas TV.

The Boeing 747-400 immediately returned to its airport of departure after the flames were observed trailing out one of the engines, said the flag carrier.

It said that all 450 passengers, including many Muslims going to perform their Hajj pilgrimage, and 18 crew members were safely evacuated without any injury.

Ministry of Religious Affairs spokesperson Anna Hasbie urged the airline to act in a professional manner.

The ministry held a coordination meeting to address the incident, issuing a strong warning to the airline.