Hong Kong aviation investigators say an engine problem that caused Cathay Pacific to ground its entire fleet of Airbus A350 jets for inspection earlier this month could have escalated into “extensive damage.

Europe's aviation regulator on Thursday linked a recent engine fire on a Cathay Pacific Airbus A350 to a possible problem with the maintenance of its Rolls-Royce engines.

Hong Kong's air safety authority said Thursday that a defect in an engine component of a Cathay Pacific Airways Airbus A350 that caused a fire, forcing a Zurich-bound flight to return to Hong Kong, could have caused ''extensive damage'' to the aircraft.

A 47-year-old Bangladeshi man was found dead during a routine pre-landing check on a Cathay Pacific flight from Dhaka to Hong Kong.

A Hong Kong aviation investigation revealed Cathay Pacific's Airbus A350 engine failure was due to a ruptured fuel hose. The incident highlighted potential risks of engine fires caused by fuel leaks.

Cathay Pacific's grounding of its Airbus A350 fleet earlier this month has brought to light a significant engine defect that could have led to catastrophic damage, according to a report by Hong Kong's Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA).

A preliminary report by Hong Kong's Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) said the incident was caused by a broken fuel hose - one of a number that had been damaged. Rolls-Royce and Cathay Pacific have been contacted for comment.

A damaged fuel hose led to an engine failure in Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A350, according to a Hong Kong aviation accident investigation agency. The report highlighted potential fire risks and urged prompt inspections.

An engine defect in the Airbus A350 plane that led to the cancellation of dozens of Cathay Pacific flights in early September could have escalated into "extensive damage", according to the results of a Hong Kong probe released Thursday.