El Al plane en route to Hong Kong lands in Uzbekistan

An El Al plane making its way from Israel to Hong Kong was forced to land in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent due to a technical problem in one of its engines.

The 238 passengers on board the craft were transferred to a hotel and are awaiting the arrival of an alternative plane from Israel.

Several hours after the plane took off from the Ben Gurion Airport Sunday night, emergency lights indicating a problem in one of the engines went off in the cockpit.

"The pilots noticed that the oil levels in the engine dropped, apparently due to a malfunction. The pilots shut down the engine and proceeded to Tashkent," said El Al deputy director-general Lior Yavor.

Following the arrival in Tashkent the plane was immediately taken for repairs and El Al has sent a replacement aircraft that will deliver the passengers to Hong Kong. The plane will also be carrying technicians from Israel who will try to fix the problems.