Sydney Airport runway on FIRE after 'loud bang' heard on Boeing plane as flights aborted
A plane crashed in Senegal earlier this year
@_paalune
A fire has erupted at Sydney Airport in Australia after a loud bang was heard on board on a plane.
Passengers reported hearing a loud bang aboard their Qantas flight to Brisbane, which was due to take off at 1pm today (local time).
A grass fire broke out once the jet took off, but it's not yet clear whether the plane's engine sparked the blaze.
The plane circled and landed safely back with 174 people on board.
Eyewitnesses have captured images of the fire at Sydney Airport
@Foodwineholida1
Other flights have been aborted as a result, while the emergency services rush in to deal with the incident.
Aviation Rescue and Firefighting along with Fire and Rescue NSW are on the scene to extinguish the blaze next to the airport’s third runway.
No serious injuries have been reported.
Passenger Georgina Lewis spoke to Australian news outlet, 9News and said: "One of the engines appeared to have gone.
She added: "The pilot came on 10 minutes later to explain that they had a problem with a right-hand engine on take-off."
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The plane circled back and landed safely
@Foodwineholida1
A Sydney Airport spokesperson said: "Earlier today a Brisbane bound flight made an emergency-return to Sydney Airport, landing safely just after 1pm.
"This departure of aircraft coincided with a grass fire along the eastern side of the airport’s parallel runway, which was brought under control by teams from the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service.
"It’s not clear at this stage if the two incidents are linked and investigations are continuing.
"With the safe arrival of the aircraft, Sydney Airport’s priority is to conduct a full inspection of its parallel runway and to return it to service as quickly as possible.
"Sydney Airport’s main runway is operational, however passengers should also expect some delays and we thank everyone for their patience.
No serious injuries have been reported
@Foodwineholida1
"Passengers who are travelling today are also encouraged to check with their airline regarding the status of their flight."
Qantas Chief Pilot Captain Richard Tobiano said the plane suffered a "suspected engine failure after take-off'.
He added: "Our pilots are highly trained to handle situations like this and the aircraft landed safely after the appropriate procedures were conducted.
"We understand this would have been a distressing experience for customers and we will be contacting all customers this afternoon to provide support."
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