Philippine Airlines emergency landing

A Philippine Airlines flight made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Thursday, November 21, 2019, shortly after takeoff due to an apparent engine failure.

The plane, a Boeing 777-300ER, was bound for Manila with 342 passengers and 18 crew members on board. It took off from LAX at 11:50 p.m. local time but returned to the airport about 15 minutes later.

Passengers reported seeing flames coming from one of the plane's engines. The plane landed safely and no injuries were reported.

The incident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB said in a statement that it is "gathering information and assessing the damage to the aircraft."

Philippine Airlines said in a statement that it is "cooperating with the NTSB investigation and will provide updates as they become available."

The emergency landing comes less than a month after another Philippine Airlines flight made an emergency landing in Vancouver, Canada, due to a technical issue.

The airline has been under scrutiny in recent months following a series of incidents involving its aircraft.

In August, a Philippine Airlines plane skidded off the runway at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport. In September, a Philippine Airlines plane overshot the runway at Davao International Airport.

The airline has said that it is taking steps to improve its safety record. It has hired new safety personnel and is conducting additional training for its pilots.