A Qantas flight was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Mildura, Victoria, after the aircraft reportedly lost hydraulics on its wing flaps.
The Dash 8 Q400 aircraft, carrying 63 passengers, took off from Mildura at 10:40 am bound for Melbourne but had to turn back around for the emergency landing.
According to FlightRadar, the aircraft was forced into a series of circuits above the airport before landing safely around 12 pm.
In a statement, a Qantas spokesperson said the aircraft was forced to return to Mildura shortly after takeoff due to a technical issue.
The spokesperson added that the pilots are highly trained to handle situations like this and thanked the passengers for their understanding.
No Injuries Reported
Emergency personnel were on the ground ready and waiting, but the landing was not considered an “emergency.”
Police said in a statement that the plane landed safely, and the pilot and passengers were not injured.
Passengers have disembarked and are awaiting new flights, while Qantas engineers will inspect the aircraft before it returns to service.
This incident is a stark reminder of the importance of safety protocols in place to handle unexpected technical issues during flights.