VIDEO – Plane Carrying Students Lands After Losing Engine: ‘Answered Prayer’

Passengers experienced something frightening yet incredible on Tuesday during an inter-island flight from Molokai, Hawaii.

When the Mokulele flight lost an engine in midair and everyone heard a loud noise, the passengers tried to stay calm, but that proved to be difficult, Hawaii News Now reported Thursday.

Iolani Kuoha, who serves as the Vice Principal of Molokai Middle School, was escorting young students on a trip to Oahu for a STEM conference and said she did not want to appear frightened.

“I didn’t want to stress out the students, so I tried to be as calm as I could,” Kuoha recalled, adding she quickly messaged her daughter to ask for prayer.

Prayer is known to reduce stress, help individuals feel more in control, and also bring peace of mind, according to Advent Health.

“Prayer gives you a connection to something greater than yourself, which does wonders for your emotional well-being. It provides a greater sense of purpose, betters your mood, and helps you cope with and overcome the difficulties life brings your way,” the website reads.

When she received the text message, Ōlelo Hamakua-Poepoe, Kuoha’s daughter, said, “I was like, oh my God. I better start praying. I was very, very shocked and worried.”

The aircraft, a Saab 340 twin-engine turboprop, was able to stay in the air for over 20 minutes before touching down in Honolulu, to everyone’s relief.

Mokulele’s parent company, Southern Airways Express, brought the plane to Hawaii in 2022, the Hawaii News Now report said.

Social media users shared their relief that everything turned out fine, one person writing, “Praise God for getting them here safely! Praying for your safe return home.”

“Yikes!! And thank You, Lord, for answered prayer!” someone else commented, while another said, “Mahalo to the pilots for bringing all their passengers back down safely! Glad that everyone is okay.”

Now, the plane is being inspected and an investigation has been opened in order to find answers as to why the engine failed. Meanwhile, the passengers will receive a $400 credit along with a refund for the trip, per the company.