A Qantas flight from Queenstown to Sydney was forced to make a priority landing at Christchurch on Saturday afternoon after a suspected engine issue, with passengers reporting flames visible from the left engine.
Flight QF122, a Boeing 737, landed safely about 52 minutes after takeoff, touching down shortly before 5pm local time, according to FlightAware. The cause of the incident has yet to be determined, but Qantas sent two engineers to Christchurch on Sunday to investigate. Both engines are thought to have remained in operation for the duration of the flight.
Passenger recounts terrifying moments
Liza-Jayne Loch, a passenger returning home from a business trip, described the ordeal. The plane was climbing above the South Island's mountain ranges when a bang shook the cabin.
“I was sitting on the left-hand side of the plane, and the flames were very, very visible,” Loch said. “There was a lot of screaming at the time.”
Footage recorded by a passenger and shared with AAP shows flames appearing to issue from the plane's left engine in a series of rapid bursts. Loch said cabin lights flickered as the plane continued to gain altitude.
Emergency response and passenger support
Loch said conditions soon stabilised after the initial shock, with cabin staff seeking to comfort passengers. “The crew were all terribly, terribly calming,” she said.
Emergency services were waiting on the tarmac when the flight landed, and passengers were allowed to disembark as normal after a short wait. “There were massive cheers when we landed,” Loch said.
Affected passengers were put up in a hotel near Christchurch International Airport before being booked on a complimentary flight to Sydney on Sunday. While the second flight went off without a hitch, Loch said nerves were still high. “I cried getting off the plane when we landed in Sydney,” she said. “It was quite traumatic.”
A Qantas spokesperson said the plane was believed to have suffered an engine issue, adding: “Our pilots are highly trained to manage situations like this and the aircraft landed safely. We know this would have been a distressing experience for passengers and will be contacting all customers to provide support.”
