NUKU‘ALOFA – A Tongan twin-engine aircraft flown by New Zealand pilots and 17 passengers had to make an emergency landing on one engine this week, Tongan media reports.

The aircraft is part of the fleet operated by Real Tonga Airlines – the same company that last weekend had a taxiing incident on an aircraft on which Olympic medallist Valerie Adams was travelling. The aircraft involved was not an Xian MA60.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully has previously warned New Zealanders against flying with the airline that operates two gifted MA60 aircraft from China.

The latest incident involved a British-built Jetstream 32 on lease from an Australian company, news website Matangi Tonga has reported.

Tonga’s just-appointed infrastructure minister, ‘Etuate Lavulavu, has ordered the aircraft “detained and grounded” until a full report on the incident is written.

New Zealanders Simon Butler and Athol Isaac were flying the plane from the northern islands of Vava‘u to Tongatapu when one of the two engines failed to function properly.

Lavulavu said the fault made both engines heat up and forced the pilots to switch off the troubled one and continue flying.

He said that though it would have been closer for the aircraft to try to land at Pangai on Ha‘apai or to try to return to Lupepau’u Airport on Vava‘u.

But for a full emergency landing, the pilots concluded it would be safer to try and get to Fua‘amotu Airport on Tongatapu near Nuku’alofa.

He said that the people on board were “scared but were very happy when the aircraft landed safely”.

The 20-year-old aircraft has been leased by Real Tonga during the past six months from an Australian company.

Some of the incident was captured at Fua’amotu Airport by Verna Tukuafu who posted pictures on Instragram.

“While sitting waiting for my flight to Ha‘apai, I heard sirens and a slew of cops, military men, fire-fighters, ambulance and everyone coming in,” she said.

“Apparently one of the engines on the J32 blew while flying back from Ha‘apai. Glad no one is hurt but boy what is going on Real Tonga.”

The incident was the third within 12 months after the airline’s B-65 Queenair crash landed at ‘Eua’s Kaufana Airport in April 2014. None of the seven passengers or the pilot were injured.

On Thursday last week Real Tonga’s Chinese-made Harbin Y12’s brakes failed to operate while taxiing causing it to slide off the runway.

The plane was scheduled to depart for ‘Eua with New Zealand-Tongan Olympic shot-put champion Valerie Adams on board.

Tonga’s minister for infrastructure said he was notified that the Jetstream 32 aircraft had been required to make an emergency landing at Fua’amotu due to engine failure.

The cause of the incident has yet to be confirmed but the minister said one of the aircraft’s double engine failed to operate. An investigation was underway he added.