A CHINA Southern Airlines airliner made an emergency return back to Guangzhou in Guangdong en route to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, yesterday noon because of a situation believed to be caused by a “mechanical malfunction,” The Beijing News reported.

    Flight CZ6059 took off from the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport about 11:38 a.m. but it returned 19 minutes later, the report said.

    It’s reported that smoke appeared in the cockpit when the jet reached about 1,500 meters in the sky. Someone on board reportedly said: “it smelled like some electronic device was burning.”

    The crew had to put on oxygen masks and reported a “Mayday.”

    The jet safely landed at the airport about 30 minutes past noon, the report said.

    The Beijing News reported the airlines management has confirmed that the plane returned because of a mechanical malfunction and the passengers were later arranged to continue their trip to the capital city of Cambodia with another plane. (SD-Agencies)