A Thai Lion Air captain managed to bring his aircraft safely back to Don Mueang airport in Bangkok this morning, after its right engine stopped functioning and caught fire, thought to be due to the ingestion of a bird.

The domestic flight left Don Mueang airport at about 11am.

While the plane was airborne, the captain made a surprise announcement to the passengers that he could not continue the journey and had to take the aircraft back to Don Mueang.

The captain, whose name has not yet been released, told passengers that he suspected that a bird had been sucked into the right engine, because they had flown through a flock of birds while at an altitude of about 6,000 feet.

The captain said that the engine stopped functioning and he decided to shut it down. He then saw flames being emitted from the engine.

One of the passengers, Annop Thongborisut, wrote online that several passengers fainted after they learned that one of the engines had stopped functioning and caught fire.

He said he was half asleep when he heard the plane’s intercom system and thought he was dreaming, adding he saw flames coming from one of the engines.

Passengers praised the captain for remaining calm and professional while flying back to the airport safely under such circumstances.

The aircraft was in service for about five years on international flights. In June this year it was reassigned to domestic services.