Vietnam Airlines Boeing Makes Emergency Return to Munich After Troubled Takeoff

A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 made an emergency return to Munich after its takeoff for Hanoi went badly wrong on Saturday.

The aircraft, operating Flight VN34 from Munich to Hanoi, began its takeoff roll on runway 26L early afternoon.

Ground footage showed the widebody lifting off at the very end of the runway, kicking up a cloud of dust around the runway threshold.

The Boeing 787-9 reportedly made contact with the ground beyond the runway end and struck equipment in the area, affecting the aircraft's landing gear. The left main landing gear failed to retract after takeoff.

Despite the problem, the crew continued to operate the aircraft and stopped its climb at approximately 9,000 feet before entering a holding pattern. They remained airborne for about two hours to assess the situation and burn fuel.

The decision to stay in the air was part of a procedure to reduce the aircraft's weight before landing. The Boeing 787-9 was fully loaded for the long-haul flight.

Just before 4pm local time, the aircraft returned to Munich and touched down safely on runway 26R, with fire and rescue vehicles standing by as a precaution.