KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — Malaysia Airlines Flight MH148 reached the Melbourne Airport safely earlier today after it was forced to make an emergency landing reportedly due to an engine fire.

According to Australian news site The Age, engine fire on the plane was reported, and the engine was subsequently shut off while fuel was dumped from the plane.

The Melbourne Airport confirmed, however, that the plane landed safely.

“We can confirm that the MH148 aircraft has landed safely @melair. All operations at Melbourne Airport continue as normal,” the airport tweeted using its official Twitter account @Melair.

In a brief tweet, Malaysia Airlines confirmed the passenger jet’s turn-back to the Melbourne Airport.

“MH148 MEL-KUL made an air-turn back and landed uneventfully. The aircraft is being grounded for investigation. More details to follow,” the airline said using its Twitter account @MAS.

“Preliminary inspection on the aircraft reveals no physical evidence of fire externally. Safety is our utmost priority,” it added.

In a media statement, MAS said the Airbus A330 plane was carrying 279 passengers and 13 crew members. Earlier, online flight tracker Flightradar24 had tweeted MH148’s flight path — which showed the plane turning back to Melbourne airport — and said: “#MH148 landed safely after fire in starboard engine, per Melbourne FD. Fire out, all safe.”

The Age also reported that emergency crews were on standby at Melbourne Airport after being called at 2.20pm (Melbourne time), but noted that Ambulance Victoria had confirmed there were no reports of injury.

It also said the Airbus A330 plane was said to be carrying 300 people on board.

Melbourne is two hours ahead of Malaysia.

The Age said a Melbourne Airport official confirmed the fuel dumping was a usual move prior to a plane’s emergency landing.

MAS is now facing restructuring in a bid to return to profit by 2017 and will be rebranded and operate with a new business model from this September onwards as Malaysia Airlines Berhad.

The airline was under the spotlight last year when it lost two planes — MH370 and MH17 — with the former yet to be found and the latter was shot down over eastern Ukraine.