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| Hole forces Qantas plane to land | Hole forces Qantas plane to land |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A passenger plane en route from London to Melbourne has made an emergency landing in the Philippines after a large hole appeared in its fuselage. | A passenger plane en route from London to Melbourne has made an emergency landing in the Philippines after a large hole appeared in its fuselage. |
| Qantas Airways said its Boeing 747-400, with 346 passengers and 19 crew, diverted to Manila shortly after leaving Hong Kong and landed safely. | Qantas Airways said its Boeing 747-400, with 346 passengers and 19 crew, diverted to Manila shortly after leaving Hong Kong and landed safely. |
| Engineers are investigating what caused the hole - about 2.5m to 3m in diameter - that led to cabin pressure problems. | Engineers are investigating what caused the hole - about 2.5m to 3m in diameter - that led to cabin pressure problems. |
| An airport official said passengers looked scared and some were sick. | An airport official said passengers looked scared and some were sick. |
| Seeing the hole caused a lot of emotion. People were physically shaking Phill Restall, passenger Eyewitness: Qantas flight drama | |
| Airport authority spokesman Octavio Lina said part of the flooring near the affected section gave way, exposing some of the cargo below, and part of the ceiling also collapsed. | Airport authority spokesman Octavio Lina said part of the flooring near the affected section gave way, exposing some of the cargo below, and part of the ceiling also collapsed. |
| "Upon disembarkation, there were some passengers who vomited. You can see in their faces that they were really scared," he said. | "Upon disembarkation, there were some passengers who vomited. You can see in their faces that they were really scared," he said. |
| 'Gust of wind' | 'Gust of wind' |
| Passengers described hearing a large bang and feeling a rush of wind and debris through the cabin about an hour after Flight QF30 left Hong Kong at 0900 local time (0100 GMT). | Passengers described hearing a large bang and feeling a rush of wind and debris through the cabin about an hour after Flight QF30 left Hong Kong at 0900 local time (0100 GMT). |
| The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the aircraft made an emergency descent from 29,000ft to 10,000ft. | |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| A passenger films the Qantas forced landing from inside the plane | A passenger films the Qantas forced landing from inside the plane |
| Passenger Olivia Lucas told the BBC everyone was "pretty scared for a few moments". | Passenger Olivia Lucas told the BBC everyone was "pretty scared for a few moments". |
| "Then everyone focused on getting their oxygen masks on," she said. "Everyone was calm and quiet and there was notable relief when we landed. Everyone applauded the pilot." | "Then everyone focused on getting their oxygen masks on," she said. "Everyone was calm and quiet and there was notable relief when we landed. Everyone applauded the pilot." |
| "We are very lucky we landed safely and no-one was hurt." | "We are very lucky we landed safely and no-one was hurt." |
| Phill Restall, from the UK, was woken "with a jolt" by the loud bang before the plane descended rapidly. | Phill Restall, from the UK, was woken "with a jolt" by the loud bang before the plane descended rapidly. |
| "No-one panicked, there was no screaming. It wasn't your typical television movie," he told the BBC News website. | "No-one panicked, there was no screaming. It wasn't your typical television movie," he told the BBC News website. |
| "Everyone listened to the cabin staff." | "Everyone listened to the cabin staff." |
| He said other passengers had told him young children in the main cabin were crying. | He said other passengers had told him young children in the main cabin were crying. |
| Delayed shock | Delayed shock |
| Mr Restall, who was reassured to see the engines "still spinning", said they wore the oxygen masks for about 15 minutes, until the plane levelled out. | Mr Restall, who was reassured to see the engines "still spinning", said they wore the oxygen masks for about 15 minutes, until the plane levelled out. |
| The pilot then told passengers they were going to land in Manila to have a look at the damage. | The pilot then told passengers they were going to land in Manila to have a look at the damage. |
| "Everyone was fairly calm, partly because they didn't realise the extent of it," he said. | "Everyone was fairly calm, partly because they didn't realise the extent of it," he said. |
| "After we disembarked it started to dawn on people that this was a major incident. There were 350 people up there who were very lucky. | "After we disembarked it started to dawn on people that this was a major incident. There were 350 people up there who were very lucky. |
| "Seeing the hole caused a lot of emotion. People were physically shaking. Many realised how close they were to their own mortality." | "Seeing the hole caused a lot of emotion. People were physically shaking. Many realised how close they were to their own mortality." |
| Other passengers reported seeing items flying out of the aircraft. | Other passengers reported seeing items flying out of the aircraft. |
| Dr David Newman, of Flight Medicine Systems, says forcing the plane into a rapid descent after a sudden loss of pressure is a standard emergency procedure. | Dr David Newman, of Flight Medicine Systems, says forcing the plane into a rapid descent after a sudden loss of pressure is a standard emergency procedure. |
| He says that when cruising, the internal cabin is pressurised to a much lower altitude than outside the aircraft, which is also extremely cold. | He says that when cruising, the internal cabin is pressurised to a much lower altitude than outside the aircraft, which is also extremely cold. |
| "When you've lost pressure, all that high pressure air in the cabin leaves the airplane and from a medical point of view you've got the risk of lack of oxygen - which is compensated for by the oxygen masks," he said. | "When you've lost pressure, all that high pressure air in the cabin leaves the airplane and from a medical point of view you've got the risk of lack of oxygen - which is compensated for by the oxygen masks," he said. |
| "The descent is designed to limit how much time you spend up there and of course one of the other issues is that the mass flow of air leaving the airplane - if it's an explosive decompression - will take a lot of loose objects and articles around the cabin and basically try and leave the aircraft via the hole." | "The descent is designed to limit how much time you spend up there and of course one of the other issues is that the mass flow of air leaving the airplane - if it's an explosive decompression - will take a lot of loose objects and articles around the cabin and basically try and leave the aircraft via the hole." |
| The flight, which had been due to arrive in Melbourne at 1145 GMT, landed in Manila just after 0300 GMT (1100 local time ). | The flight, which had been due to arrive in Melbourne at 1145 GMT, landed in Manila just after 0300 GMT (1100 local time ). |
| Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said engineers were investigating what might have caused the hole in the fuselage. | Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said engineers were investigating what might have caused the hole in the fuselage. |
| He said Qantas had provided all passengers with accommodation and a replacement aircraft had been arranged. | He said Qantas had provided all passengers with accommodation and a replacement aircraft had been arranged. |
| Were you on the flight? Did you take pictures or video footage? | Were you on the flight? Did you take pictures or video footage? |
| Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.. Read the terms and conditions | Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.. Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |