Passengers exiting an Emirates flight saw a large hole in the side of the plane after it landed safely in Brisbane, Australia.
According to the Independent, the incident took place on flight EK450 on July 1. The Airbus A380 had flown safely from Dubai for almost 14 hours. Some passengers said the incident may have occurred during or shortly after takeoff.
A passenger on the flight, identified as Patrick, told the Australian… courier post that he had heard a disturbing noise about 45 minutes after the flight. He stated there was a “loud bang” and he even felt it through the floor. “The cabin crew kept calm, stopped the food service and picked up the phone and checked the wings and engines,” added Patrick.
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The hole is made in the left wing fairing, part of the aircraft’s “skin” where the wings meet the cabin shaped to reduce drag during flight.
quote Aviation Heraldthe Independent reported that the flight’s pilots had contacted air traffic control at Brisbane Airport shortly before landing to report that they suspected they had blown a tire on take-off, and requested to be met by emergency services upon landing .
Speaking to the UAE-based media outlet, the nationalAn Emirates spokesperson said the Airbus A380 has been grounded at Brisbane Airport since the incident. The spokesman added that the hole had no impact on the fuselage, frame or structure of the aircraft.
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“One of the aircraft’s 22 tires ruptured during the cruise, damaging a small portion of the aerodynamic fairing, an exterior panel or the aircraft’s skin,” the airline said.
“At no point has it had any impact on the fuselage, frame or structure of the aircraft. The fairing has been completely replaced, checked and cleaned by engineers, Airbus and all relevant authorities,” the spokesperson added.
No passengers were reported as injured as a result of the incident.