Ambulances were rushed to Sydney airport on Wednesday (Australia) upon the arrival of a Qantas plane. He had sent a distress signal earlier. Flight QF144 from Auckland, New Zealand, had more than 100 passengers on board, according to a spokeswoman for paramedics.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, finally landed safely on a runway at Sydney Airport, according to footage from public broadcaster ABC. Earlier, New South Wales state paramedics were called in as part of an emergency plan, after the plane sent out a distress signal as it flew over the Tasman Sea, between Australia and New Zealand.
An engine problem?
Several Australian media reported that the aircraft had encountered problems with one of its engines. The Boeing 737-800 model has two, but can land safely with only one.
According to the Australian government’s aviation regulator, a distress signal indicates that an “aircraft is in imminent grave danger and requires immediate assistance”.