Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) said flight MH2, which left KLIA at 11.37pm yesterday, had been diverted to the Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport in the Netherlands.

The plane, carrying 246 passengers and 17 crew members, landed safely at the Amsterdam airport at 6.19am local time.

“In the interest of safety, the pilot in command made the decision to divert to ensure that the issue is rectified before proceeding to the intended destination, London. At no time was safety compromised.

“Passengers are accommodated at hotels near the airport, and some have been transferred to other flights,” MAG said in a statement.

Meanwhile, flight MH4, which took off at about 9.30am today, turned back and is expected to arrive at KLIA at 3.30pm.

MAG said two other flights were also affected, namely MH1 and MH3, scheduled for departure from Heathrow today.

“Safety remains our absolute priority. The decisions to cancel flights are never taken lightly and are always made with the safety of our passengers and crew in mind.

“Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets the inconvenience and disruptions to our passengers’ travel plans. Safety remains the number one priority to Malaysia Airlines.”