Terrified passengers watched as a plane's engine cover broke apart mid-air over Taiwan.

Shocking footage shows the metal panel of the ATR 72-600 aircraft flapping violently, exposing the internal engine components on Friday, May 16.

The incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Kaohsiung International Airport, with Flightradar24 reporting that the aircraft departed at 7:27 am.

Passengers on board Mandarin Airlines flight AE301, bound for Kinmen, became alarmed when the plane began to shake from the issue with the turbopropeller engine.

Looking out the windows, they were stunned to see the engine cover coming loose, bending upwards and downwards under strong air currents.

One frightened passenger said: 'Not long after takeoff, the plane started shaking. Everyone looked out the window and began shouting for the flight attendants.

'The scariest part was that the flight attendants didn't say anything, but their eyes looked terrified. That scared me even more.'

The pilots quickly declared an in-flight emergency and returned the aircraft to Kaohsiung, where it landed safely.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the mechanical failure.

Mandarin Airlines is a regional subsidiary of China Airlines that operates a fleet of 12 aircraft. Founded in June 1991, the airline is known for its focus on regional connectivity within Taiwan.

The aircraft in the video, which is registered as B-16853, is believed to have two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M turboprop engines