There were “reports of engine failure,” Australian news media said (Representational)
Sydney:
Emergency services were called to Sydney Airport on Wednesday afternoon to meet an incoming Qantas plane that had issued a Mayday alert mid-air.
The flight – QF144 – was believed to be carrying more than 100 passengers from New Zealand, an ambulance spokeswoman said.
The plane, a Boeing 737-800, appeared to have landed safely at Sydney Airport before stalling on the runway, TV footage from public broadcaster ABC showed.
NSW Ambulance previously said they were on standby at the airport – part of their “emergency activation” plans – after the plane made an airborne mayday call over the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.
“Paramedics were called,” added an emergency services spokeswoman, as flight QF144 from Auckland approached the airport.
Several Australian media reported that the plane issued the Mayday warning after experiencing problems with one of its engines.
The Boeing 737-800 is a twin-engine aircraft and can land safely with only one engine.
According to the Australian Government’s Aviation Inspectorate, an emergency call “indicates an aircraft which is in serious and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance”.
(Except for the headline, this story was not edited by NDTV staff and was published by a syndicated feed.)