A MALAYSIA Airlines plane bound for Melbourne was diverted to Perth after a passenger on board required medical assistance, the airline said today, refuting Australian media reports which referred to the incident as an emergency landing.

“Malaysia Airlines’ flight MH149 on October 7, 2018, from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne was diverted to Perth due to a medical case involving a passenger,” the airline said.

“The flight did not make an emergency landing as reported by a foreign publication.”

In its statement, Malaysia Airlines said crew members on board the flight had provided assistance to the sick passenger, but later decided to make “a call to divert to Perth to ensure proper medical attention is given to the passenger”.

“Our staff on ground at Perth Airport had made arrangements for the passenger to be transferred to the nearest hospital.”

The company also said the flight that departed KL International Airport at 10:25pm landed safely at 4:04am in Perth Airport, and continued its journey to Melbourne two hours later.

The plane arrived at Melbourne at 12:28pm today.

Australian news site news.com.au had earlier said the plane made an emergency landing due to a medical issue, quoting a Perth Airport spokeswoman. – October 8, 2018.