Why the Fergana-bound plane landed in Turkmenistan: Engine oil leak explained

Earlier reports indicated that a Centrum-Air plane, en route from Medina to Fergana, made an emergency landing in Turkmenistan on February 1. The airline's press service has now confirmed that the emergency landing was due to an oil leak in the aircraft's engine.

Flight C6-3336, an A321neo aircraft, was flying over Turkmenistan when the engine malfunction occurred. According to the airline, the captain followed the flight manual and decided to divert the plane to the nearest airport in Merv, Turkmenistan, for safety. The diversion was a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew.

After landing, a backup flight was sent from Merv, more than 1,200 km away from Fergana, to transport the passengers to their original destination. The airline reported that the oil leak had been fixed, and the aircraft is now ready for future flights.

“The oil leak in the engine has been eliminated, and the plane will soon conduct a technical flight to Tashkent without passengers,” the airline’s press service stated.

It is important to note that this incident comes shortly after another engine malfunction involving an A-320 of Uzbekistan Airways on January 15. The aircraft, flying from Bukhara to Moscow, experienced a similar problem, which led to a priority landing and a blue alert at Vnukovo airport.