ISLAMABAD, May 17: A Birmingham-bound PIA flight with 180 passengers onboard was forced to abort its take-off after one of its engines malfunctioned, leaving the Islamabad airport’s runway closed for over four and a half hours.Passengers and the crew onboard flight PK-791 were evacuated through emergency chutes, but all of them remained unhurt.

The Airbus A-310 was scheduled to depart at 9am. While taxiing, the pilot noticed that engine number 1 was not providing the required take-off power. Emergency brakes were applied resulting in deflation of eight of the tyres of the plane.

Rescue and fire-fighting services rushed to help and the panicked passengers were taken to the lounge.

“The captain decided not to proceed with the take-off in the interest of safety after he observed malfunctioning in one of the engines,” said spokesman for the PIA.

The take-off was aborted at 9.24am and the airport was reopened at 2pm after the aircraft was pushed back.

Twenty-three flights – 15 domestic and eight international – were affected, with incoming flights diverted.

The passengers were bussed to a hotel, where they stayed till another aircraft was arranged to take them to Birmingham. The alternative aircraft was scheduled to depart at 8pm.

“It has been a nightmare,” said one of the passengers as he returned to the international terminal for departure. Another heaved a sigh of relief saying: We’re lucky everyone is safe, thank God.

Sources at the airport revealed that a snag had been reported a couple of days back, which could not be rectified. “This resulted in today’s emergency that could have been catastrophic,” he added.

The PIA had leased two aircraft from SAGA Airlines after most of the national flag carrier’s fleet was banned by the European Union for safety concerns.