QANTAS B747 Emergency Landing at Manila

Qantas Boeing B747-400 incident

A QANTAS jet made an emergency landing with a two metre by four metre hole in its underbody and baggage hanging out after it depressurised at 30,000 feet.

Australian passengers have told of a terrifying mid-air emergency that left a gaping hole in the side of the Melbourne-bound Qantas plane, forcing an emergency landing in Manila.

Fuselage tear: Pilot praised after landing. Somehow, the pilot managed to safely land the Boeing 747, en route from London to Melbourne, despite the "gigantic" hole in the belly of the plane, near the wing.

Incredibly, no injuries were reported although some passengers vomited after the plane touched down.

Melbourne woman Dr June Kane said she heard a loud bang and then saw debris flying through the depressurised cabin.

"There was a terrific boom and bits of wood and debris just flew forward into first (class) and the oxygen masks dropped down," she told ABC Radio from Manila airport.

"I'm looking at the plane now and on the left hand side, just forward of the wing, there's a gaping hole from the wing to the underbody."

"It's about two metres by four metres and there's baggage hanging out, so you assume that there's a few bags that may have gone missing."

"It was absolutely terrifying, but I have to say everyone was very calm."

Manila airport operations officer Ding Lima told local radio the plane lost cabin pressure shortly after takeoff from Hong Kong and the pilot radioed for an emergency landing.

"There is a big hole in the belly of the aircraft near the right wing about three metres in diameter," he said.

"Upon disembarkation, there were some passengers who vomited. You can see in their faces that they were really scared."

During the emergency part of the plane's flooring gave way, exposing some of the cargo in the hold, he said. Part of the ceiling also collapsed.

He said the aircraft was carrying 350 passengers and 16 crew.

Other passengers who talked to the media at the airport described hearing an explosion, followed by oxygen masks dropping from the ceiling.

It's understood all passengers escaped injury.

Earlier reports said the flight plunged 20,000 feet after a door 'popped' mid-flight, passengers are reporting.

Senior airline executives moved into an emergency room at Qantas Mascot headquarters soon after the plan landed and were briefed continuously throughout the afternoon by aircraft engineers.

Were you on board? Tell us what happenedNo one at Qantas was able to say mid afternoon how a below-the-floor section of the fuselage, outside the baggage compartment, was severely holed in the incident.

The plane made an emergency landing in Manila around 1:20pm, interrupting a flight between London and Melbourne.

Melbourne's Herald Sun Online say oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling during the incident.

The 747-400 jet had had flown incident free from London to Hong Kong overnight and was on he final leg outbound for Melbourne.

Passenger Brandan McClements said there was a sudden 'gust of wind' through the plane.

"There was a degree of surprise people questioning what it was," he said.

"There was a rush of wind as the air pressure came down. It got people's attention. It was then a matter of getting the masks on."

Another passenger described how children burst into tears after a 'quick bang' reverberated throught the cabin. She said the plane plunged, but then stabilised after about five minutes.

Mr McClements, the chief executive of Victorian Major Events, praised the pilot and crew.

"The crew were terrific they did a great job. Everyone gave them a round of applause as we landed."

Mr McClenents said the faulty door was on the 'driver's side' of the plane, just before the wing. He said there was "a big gap where the door used to be."

He said other passengers seemed in "resonably good spirits."

The plane is believed to have suddenly plunged from 30,000 feet to 10,000 feet.

Another passenger reported the masks fell from the ceiling, the plane "dropped suddenly" and there was a "fairly explosive" depressurisation.

One passenger reported the pilot did 'an amazing job' of controlling the craft.

Flight QF 30 was due to arrive in Melbourne around 10pm tonight.

It was one hour from Hong Kong when the incident occured.

The plane is currently on the tarmac at Manila airport with all passengers - the majority of them Australians - on board.

"Qantas can confirm Qantas flight 30 from Hong Kong to Melbourne has been diverted to Manila," a Qantas spokeswoman said.

"The aircraft is on the ground and being inspected as we speak."

The spokeswoman would not comment on the cause of the incident.