Engine problem forces Emirates landing in Sydney
Nov 12, 2012, 2:59 AM
Associated Press
SYDNEY (AP) – An Emirates flight from Sydney to Dubai made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff because of an engine fault, the airline said Monday.
Passengers reported hearing a loud bang and seeing flames coming from the engine of the Airbus A380 after it took off from Sydney on Sunday night. The plane landed without incident and passengers were rebooked on other flights. There were no injuries.
John Fothergill of Auckland, New Zealand, told Australia’s News Limited that he saw flames shooting out of the engine and felt the plane shake.
“I thought it could have been lightning but then we saw flames come out of the engine,” he said. “The whole interior of the A380 lit up.”
Passenger Ross Clarke told Australia’s Seven Network that he heard a loud bang.
“We were told by the pilot that something had gone wrong on the starboard engine, number three engine,” he said.
An Emirates spokeswoman, speaking on the airline’s customary condition of anonymity, denied there were flames in the engine.
“There was no fire, no flames, no smoke,” she said. “There may have been a loud bang.”
Investigators were looking into the cause of the engine fault, she said.
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