SYDNEY (AP) – A Qantas flight from New Zealand to Sydney landed safely on a single engine after issuing a mayday call over the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday.
Qantas Flight 144 with 145 passengers on board landed at Sydney Airport in Auckland, New Zealand, after a 3.5-hour flight between the neighboring countries’ most populous cities.
The Boeing 737-838 about an hour from Sydney had “a problem” with one of its two engines, according to a Qantas statement.
The distress call, issued when a flight is in serious and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance, was downgraded to a PAN-PAN before landing – assistance may be needed.
Qantas said the pilot cut the engine but did not specify the problem.
“While in-flight engine shutdowns are rare and would obviously be of concern to passengers, our pilots are trained to manage them safely and aircraft are designed to fly on one engine for extended periods,” Qantas said.
Passengers told reporters in Sydney that when they got off the plane they were told an engine had failed.
They described their experience of the engine failure as “slight judder” and “bumpy turbulence.” Some reported hearing a bang.
Sydney Airport said emergency crews were put on standby as a precaution, including firefighters, ambulances and police.
Neil Hanford, chairman of Strategic Aviation Solutions, a Sydney-based industry consultancy, said single-engine 737 planes can fly fast and land safely.