‘The engine’s on fire’: Qantas jet sparks panic before emergency landing

Qantas flight QF122, travelling from Queenstown to Sydney, was diverted to Christchurch after flames were seen coming from the aircraft’s left engine shortly after takeoff.Footage showed bursts of flames emerging from the aircraft’s left engine as it climbed into the sky shortly after departing Queenstown Airport.According to 1News, the airline said in a statement that the Sydney-bound flight was diverted to Christchurch as a precaution.Qantas said its pilots are highly trained to handle such situations and confirmed that the aircraft landed safely.The airline acknowledged that the incident may have been distressing for passengers and said it would contact all customers to offer support.A Queenstown Airport spokesperson confirmed that Qantas flight QF122 was diverted to Christchurch shortly after departing from Queenstown Airport on Saturday afternoon.The spokesperson said the airport remained fully operational following the incident.Footage showed the aircraft landing safely at Christchurch airport at around 5pm, with smoke reportedly visible coming from its left engine.Emergency crews were seen standing by on the tarmac as the aircraft arrived.According to The Guardian, a passenger who was sitting near the aircraft’s left wing suddenly started shouting, “the engine’s on fire,” Loch recalled, as the cabin lights began flickering.A passenger shared a recorded footage with AAP showing flames coming from the plane’s left engine in a series of rapid bursts.“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."Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.