A Malaysia Airlines (MAS) A330-300 Airbus, bound for Incheon, South Korea, had to divert to Hong Kong today because of an "inoperative aircraft generator".

In a statement, MAS confirmed this, also saying that the landing was "uneventful".

The generator supplies electrical power to the aircraft, it said.

"However, electrical power continued to be supplied by the auxiliary power unit."

Flight MH066 had left Kuala Lumpur at 11.37pm yesterday and was scheduled to arrive at Incheon at 6.50am today.

"All 271 passengers have been transferred (to) other carriers. The return flight, MH067 from Incheon to Kuala Lumpur, is cancelled, and passengers have been transferred (to) other carriers as well as subsequent MAS flights to Kuala Lumpur."

Yesterday it was reported a MAS plane had hit flying ducks about 10.45pm last Friday while landing at the Kathmandu airport in Nepal. However, the aircraft only sustained minor damage.

On March 8, MAS Flight MH370 went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, triggering an international search and rescue operation that is still in progress.

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong airport said the plane landed safely less than 30 minutes after it notified the airport.

She said it was not classified as an emergency landing, although emergency services were put on standby.