Plane makes emergency landing at Sydney Airport after engine failure
A Qantas plane has made an emergency landing after an engine failure that appears to have sparked a grass fire near Sydney Airport.
Flight QF520 was taking off from Sydney Airport on its way to Brisbane when passengers heard a loud bang.
A Qantas spokesperson said engineers had confirmed the incident was a contained engine failure, meaning it did not spread to the rest of the aircraft.
At the same time, a grass fire was ignited near the airport’s third runway. The fire has since been extinguished.
Today show producer Georgina Lewis was on board the Boeing 737 and said the pilot told passengers the right engine exploded during take-off.
“We were taking off and we heard a bang ... one of the engines appeared to have gone,” she told Nine News.
“We were circling to the south of Sydney over the water for quite some time until we were able to land, it appears on one engine, safely – with a lot of cheering from on board.”
The plane was surrounded by firefighters when it landed, and passengers were escorted back to the airport safely. They will be placed on a later flight.
Qantas chief pilot Captain Richard Tobiano said the experience was distressing for passengers.
“One of our flights to Brisbane experienced a suspected engine failure after take-off from Sydney Airport this afternoon,” he said. “After circling for a short period of time, the aircraft landed safely at Sydney Airport.
The grass fire at Sydney airport.Credit: X/@HAL__90001
“Our pilots are highly trained to handle situations like this, and the aircraft landed safely after the appropriate procedures were conducted.”
A Sydney Airport spokesperson said the plane landed just after 1pm. The fire caused flight delays averaging 45 minutes and a number of diversions. Eleven domestic flights departing from Sydney Airport were cancelled.
“With the safe arrival of the aircraft, Sydney Airport’s priority is to conduct a full inspection of its parallel runway and to return it to service as quickly as possible. Sydney Airport’s main runway is operational. However, passengers should also expect some delays, and we thank everyone for their patience.
“Passengers who are travelling today are also encouraged to check with their airline regarding the status of their flight, or via the online flight information boards on Sydney Airport’s website.”
Fire and Rescue NSW crews assisted the Aviation Rescue Firefighting Service, which has jurisdiction within the airport.
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