A grassfire broke out at Sydney Airport today after reports that an aircraft’s right engine experienced an explosion during takeoff. The Qantas flight, QF520, had just departed for Brisbane around 1 p.m. with 174 passengers onboard when passengers heard a loud bang. One passenger, Georgina Lewis, shared with 9News that "one of the engines appeared to have gone."
About 10 minutes later, the pilot confirmed they had an issue with the right-hand engine. Following the problem, the Boeing 737 circled back to Sydney and landed safely.
A spokesperson from Sydney Airport said investigations are underway to determine if the engine issue and the grassfire, which started along the eastern side of the airport’s runway, are connected. Fire crews from the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service quickly brought the grassfire under control.
Qantas Chief Pilot Captain Richard Tobiano reassured passengers, explaining that pilots are well-trained for situations like these and followed all the necessary safety procedures. He also mentioned that Qantas would be reaching out to customers to offer support and conducting an investigation into the cause of the engine problem.
Fire and Rescue NSW are on site, and the airport is working to get all operations back to normal. Although the main runway is open, some delays are expected, and passengers are encouraged to check their flight status.
No injuries have been reported, and airport staff are focused on inspecting the runway to resume full operations. More updates to come.
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