AVIATION - ACCIDENT
Qantas Boeing lands with a hole in it
Friday 25 July 2008
A Qantas Airways Boeing 747 landed safely in Manila after plunging tens of thousands of feet when the airplane's fuselage ruptured suddenly. All passengers are safe.
Friday 25 July 2008
By Reuters (text) Jinty Jackson (video)Passengers reported hearing a loud bang before the aircraft rapidly lost altitude and said the Boeing 747-400 had a hole the size of a mini-van in its undercarriage when it landed in the Philippine capital.
It was an amazing experience, but not a good one," Glenyce Johnson, 47, told Reuters. "The aircraft plunged from around 40,000 feet to 25,000 feet."
Qantas confirmed the loss of cabin pressure and the rupture in the aeroplane's fuselage and said all 346 passengers and 19 crew disembarked safely. The aircraft was being inspected.
Johnson, who was travelling home to Australia, saw items flying out of the plane. Oxygen masks were released.
"I have to compliment the pilot for doing a good job, for safely landing the plane."
QF30 left Hong Kong at 9 a.m. (0100 GMT) and was due to land in
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