A London-bound flight operated by China Eastern Airlines has been forced to make an emergency landing after a mechanical failure urged its pilots to release fuel mid-flight.

The MU533 flight, scheduled for London Heathrow, departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport, in China, at around 9:39am on Saturday, 9th December.

But just an hour into the nine-hour-long journey, its pilot was forced to divert it back to Shanghai due to a severe mechanical failure that prompted him to dump massive amounts of its fuel mid-air.

A video recorded by a passenger, whose name was not disclosed, shows the moment fumes burst out of the wing as the pilot released the fuel, as terrified travellers watch from the cabin.

Seconds later the pilot addressed them, saying: “I am very sorry to inform you that due to mechanical failure, we are unable to fly to London as planned.

“We have now decided to return to Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Thank you for your understanding.”

A China Eastern Airlines plane dumps out fuel into the air in Shanghai, China, undated. The plane made an emergency landing after a mechanical failure. (AsiaWire)

An airline spokesperson said that the plane landed safely at the airport at 11:43am. And added that the nature of the aircraft’s malfunction “was not clear yet.”

The passengers were then transferred to a second. Fully-functional plane, that took off at 2:03pm later that day.

The spokesperson continued: “We have arranged for another aircraft to operate the flight, and it took off around 2pm on the same day.

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“The company quickly deployed resources and executed the aircraft replacement. We apologise deeply for any inconvenience caused to passengers.”

This is the airline’s second flight malfunction last week, after a Hong Kong-bound plane made an emergency landing. In the city of Xiamen, in China’s province of Fujian, on 3rd December.

A China Eastern Airlines plane dumps out fuel into the air in Shanghai, China, undated. The plane made an emergency landing after a mechanical failure. (AsiaWire)

The reason, according to local media, was again a mechanical failure.

Worried netizens left an avalanche of comments after the passenger’s video. Shared on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo.

Weibo user ‘Little Afanti_2011’ said: “There has been a lot of negative news lately, so many that I don’t even dare to choose China Eastern Airlines.”

User ‘Ghost Wenzi’ commented: “It’s China Eastern Airlines again.”

And ‘Little Sun Creative Food Hall’ added: “How many times has China Eastern Airlines really embarrassed the people of Shanghai?

“If the equipment is not good, just don’t fly, why are you taking human life as a trifling matter?”

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