An engine failure onboard a Qantas flight with 174 people on board has set off a large grass fire at Sydney Airport, preventing other flights from landing.
The airline issued a statement saying the incident was a “contained engine failure” and that, while passengers would have heard a “loud bang,” it was not an explosion as many had described it.
No serious injuries have been reported.
Photos and videos taken at the time of the landing and posted to social media showed plumes of smoke rising from Sydney Airport.
Brisbane-bound flight QF250 was forced to circle the Greater Sydney area several times before returning to the airport to land, according to data from FlightRadar24, which is showing incoming and outgoing flights delayed by an average of an hour in the wake of the incident.
Qantas Chief Pilot Captain Richard Tobiano said the airline’s polts were “highly trained to handle situations like this, and the aircraft landed safely after the appropriate procedures were conducted.
“We understand this would have been a distressing experience for customers and we will be contacting all customers this afternoon to provide support,” he said. “We will also be conducting an investigation into what caused the engine issue.”
Large numbers of police cars and fire trucks have been observed at the airport. QF250 was followed down the runway by several fire appliances.
Aviation Rescue and Firefighting are leading efforts to put out the blaze, assisted by Fire and Rescue NSW. It’s located east of the airport next to the third runway near Sir Joseph Banks Park and Foreshore Drive.
Sydney Airport issued a statement which confirmed both the engine failure and grass fire, but said, “It’s not clear at this stage if the two incidents are linked, and investigations are continuing.
“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.
“[The] 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.”
Qantas said it is working to move passengers onto other flights.
Airservices Australia later released a statement on the incident.“An engine failure on departure from Runway 34R caused a grass area adjacent to the runway to catch fire. Airservices’ ARFF crews quickly attended the grass fire and extinguished it.
“Airservices’ National Operations Management Centre enacted a 47-minute ground stop at Sydney Airport to ensure the plane could land as quickly as possible. ARFF crews met QFA520 when it landed safely on Runway 34L, with nil passenger injuries.
“Runway 34L was returned to service after a safety inspection and clean-up was complete. Runway 34R is expected to reopen later today.
“The runway closure and backlog of flights is expected to lead to airborne and ground delays this afternoon. Passengers flying into or out of Sydney are advised to reach out to their airlines to see if they are impacted.”
The Rural Fire Service has declared a total fire ban across Greater Sydney, with hot and windy conditions expected to continue throughout the day.
