Wellington: An engine failure on a passenger plane taking off from Sydney, Australia on Friday prompted the aircraft to circle before a safe emergency landing, the airline Qantas said. At the same time, a grass fire broke out along one side of a runway, Sydney Airport said in a statement. It was not known if the two events were linked. The fire has been brought under control, but flight delays are expected. Qantas did not say how many passengers were on board the twin jet Boeing 737-800 bound for Brisbane when the engine failed with a loud bang. No injuries were reported.
“We understand this would have been a distressing experience for customers and we will be contacting all customers this afternoon to provide support," Qantas Chief Pilot Captain Richard Tobiano said in a statement. “We will also be conducting an investigation into what caused the engine issue.”
WATCH: Smoke rises from site where Qantas plane landed safely in Sydney after engine failure
Sydney Airport said its main runway was still in service. The grass fire broke out along the side of a parallel runway which was being inspected before it could be used again, the airport said in a statement.
It said delays were expected and advised travellers to check their flight's status with the airline.
Mark Willacy, an Australian Broadcasting Corp. reporter, told the news outlet that an off-duty pilot who was a passenger on the plane had helped the Qantas pilot during the emergency landing. A flight tracking website shows the aircraft was airborne for about 20 minutes, flying in circles above the airport.
Qantas said the plane landed safely after appropriate procedures were conducted and added it would be investigating the cause of the engine issue. The plane is a 19-year-old Boeing 737-800, according to Flightradar24. That model is powered by engines from CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and France's Safran.
(With inputs from agency)
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