Created Tuesday, Jan 17th 2023 17:16Z, last updated Tuesday, Jan 17th 2023 17:16Z
A KLM Boeing 787-9, registration PH-BHO performing delayed flight KL-749 (scheduled departure Jan 14th, actual departure 22 hours later) from Cartagena (Colombia) to Amsterdam (Netherlands), was climbing out of Cartagena when the aircraft stopped the climb at about 16,000 feet continuing into the general direction towards Amsterdam for about 20 minutes. The aircraft subsequently turned around towards Panama City (Panama) around 380nm east of Panama City and about 170nm northnortheast of Cartagena. The aircraft landed safely in Panama City about 105 minutes after departure.
A passenger reported the captain announced that the right hand engine (GEnx) was not delivering sufficient thrust due to an overheating problem requiring to throttle the engine back, the engine was kept running. The aircraft dumped fuel on the way to Panama. The remainder of the flight was cancelled and they were rebooked onto other flights. The crew reported the flight's departure had been delayed in Bogota (Colombia, before the sector Bogota to Cartagena) due to crew illness, two cabin crew had received injuries in a turbulence event on the flight to Bogota after being thrown against the ceiling and then the floor in the aft galley.
The aircraft is still on the ground in Panama City about 41.5 hours after landing in Panama City.
