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A Hawaiian Airlines flight from Sacramento International Airport to Maui was forced to turn back over the Pacific Ocean due to a mechanical issue. The incident occurred when the Airbus A321neo, operating as flight 59, experienced a failure of its backup air-conditioning unit while en route to Kahului Airport.
The pilot declared an emergency and coordinated with air traffic control for a safe return. The aircraft landed at Oakland International Airport with all 191 passengers and crew unharmed after nearly four hours in the air. Data from FlightAware indicated that the diversion took place roughly halfway to Maui, and the plane spent over ninety minutes taxiing before and after landing.
According to Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Marissa Villegas, "We are providing guests with meal vouchers and hotel accommodations, or the option to be rebooked on other flights. Safety is our priority, and we apologize to our guests for this inconvenience. Our maintenance crews addressed and resolved a separate and unrelated issue prior to clearing the aircraft for departure from SMF.”
