A SYDNEY-bound passenger plane experienced engine failure on Friday November 8, necessitating an emergency landing after circling the area, Qantas confirmed on X.
Meanwhile, Sydney Airport officials reported a grass fire on the runway’s perimeter, but the connection between the two incidents is still unclear.
The fire has been contained, and airport operations are returning to normal, albeit with some expected flight delays.
Qantas did not reveal how many people were on board the twin-engine Boeing 737-800, which was headed toward Brisbane when the engine allegedly failed with a loud noise; however, there were no reported injuries.
“We understand this would have been a distressing experience for customers, and we will be contacting all customers this afternoon to provide support. We will also be conducting an investigation into the cause of the engine issue,” Qantas Chief Pilot Richard Tobiano stated.
According to Reuters, a journalist on the flight who worked for national broadcaster ABC said there was a “sharp shudder” aboard the aircraft following the loud noise.
“It was apparent something had happened with one of the engines, then the plane seemed to labour to get off the ground or get any altitude,” Mark Willacy, an ABC reporter, stated.
The airline reported that its engineers had inspected the engine in advance and determined that it was a contained engine failure, which means that the internal engine components remained inside the protective shell intended to keep them securely contained.
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia, and according to wikipedia, the airline is the largest by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations in Australia and Oceania.
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