There were “reports of engine failure”, the Australian news media (Representational) said.
Sydney:
Ambulance services were called to Sydney Airport on Wednesday afternoon to meet an oncoming Qantas aircraft, which issued a mid-air Mayday alert.
The flight – QF 144 – was carrying more than 100 passengers from New Zealand, an ambulance spokesman said.
The Boeing 737-800 plane appeared to land safely at Sydney airport before stalling on the runway, television images from public broadcaster ABC showed.
NSW Ambulance previously said they were on standby at the airport – part of their “emergency activation” plans – after the aircraft issued a mid-air Mayday call over the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.
“Paramedics have been called,” said an ambulance service spokeswoman as flight QF144 from Auckland approached the airport.
Several Australian media outlets reported that the Mayday alert was issued after the aircraft encountered problems with one of its engines.
The Boeing 737-800 is a twin-engine aircraft and is capable of landing safely with just one engine.
According to the Australian government’s aviation regulator, a Mayday call “indicates that an aircraft is in serious and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance”.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)