The moment a plane carrying 73 people bound for Australia burst into flames was caught on film by a photographer who described the moment as "pretty crazy".
A Virgin Australia Boeing 737 bound for Melbourne, Australia, was diverted to New Zealand today after one of its engines caught fire reportedly following a bird strike. Pictures and videos taken from the airport showed the aircraft bathed in flames as it approached its modified destination in Invercargill, New Zealand, today, after taking off from Queenstown.
Eliot Squires, 16, was among those who witnessed the plane as it headed for the landing strip where emergency services were waiting on the tarmac to tend to the several dozen passengers and extinguish the billowing flames. Speaking to The Mirror, he told how he was standing close to the airport, having driven to the site after being alerted to the incident by a friend.
The plane was seen as an orange glow in the skyHe said the sight was "pretty crazy", and added that he had "never seen anything like this before". Eliot said: "I first saw the fire when I was standing on the side of the road quite close to the airport. I had driven there upon hearing the news from a friend and seeing that the plane was on its way here using the flight tracking app flightradar24.
"Honestly seeing the plane was pretty crazy, and the flames were a lot bigger than even I’d expected. I’ve never seen anything like this before, we occasionally get military aircraft coming in, but nothing quite like this."
Millions blocked from iconic iPhone app forever after 10 years in major shutdown
Another witness who also shared footage on social wrote: “Sounded like it was coming apart over our house. One engine was throwing flames and sputtering out.” Another indicated there was a “possible emergency event at Queenstown Airport involving a Boeing 737".
One witness said the incident was unlike anything he had ever seenWitness Nick Lambert told the New Zealand Herald he saw the aircraft flying overhead. He said: "It was making one hell of a pulsing/throbbing noise out of one engine then it was shooting flames out - maybe hit a bird? It continued climbing and the noise and flame stopped."
Officials have said the Virgin Australia flight safely landed in the evening at around 8pm local time, and that both crew and passengers had disembarked. In an update shortly before 9pm, Virgin Australia chief operations officer Stuart Aggs said: "At this time, we are not aware of any physical injuries to guests or crew. Emergency services personnel are on the ground at Invercargill Airport.
"Our efforts are now focused on providing support for our guests and crew, as well as transporting and accommodating guests in Invercargill this evening and arranging for their earliest onward travel to Australia. We wish to express our appreciation for the support of Invercargill Airport, Emergency Services, local Air New Zealand team members and our crew onboard in helping to support tonight’s response effort."
Queenstown Airport posted an official statement on its Facebook page in the wake of the distressing incident. It read: "Virgin Australia flight VA148 departed Queenstown Airport at 5.50pm, bound for Melbourne. It experienced an issue just after take-off and has been diverted to Invercargill Airport.
"We will provide further updates as information becomes available. UPDATE, 6.55pm: The plane has landed safely in Invercargill." A 'full turn-out' of emergency responders met the plane in Invercargill."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
