'Shaking' Malaysia Airlines flight turns back to Australia

A Malaysia Airlines flight was forced to divert to central Australia after a technical issue left the aircraft "shuddering", passengers say.

Flight MH122 was travelling from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday when it turned back not far from Broome, in Australia's north-west.

The plane, carrying 224 people, landed safely at Alice Springs Airport at 17:48 local time (06:48 GMT).

Passengers said the plane had been shaking and making loud noises.

In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said the plane was diverted after it experienced a "technical fault on one of the aircraft's engines".

"Safety was not at any time compromised," it said.

Passenger Sanjeev Pandev said the plane, which was an Airbus A330-300, appeared to have a problem about four hours into the flight.

"It was shaking and vibrating and the noise was getting louder and louder" he told the BBC.

"Some people were praying and people had tears in their eyes. It was a really terrifying moment."

He said passengers were taken through emergency procedures by staff, some of whom appeared "nervous and terrified themselves".