A Qantas flight bound for Sydney has been diverted to Christchurch after an engine issue shortly after take-off from Queenstown.
Flight QF122 was forced to abandon its journey to Sydney on Saturday afternoon after flames were seen coming from one of its two engines.
The Boeing 737-800 landed safely in Christchurch after the priority landing.
The aircraft had been due to arrive in Sydney at about 7pm.
Footage shared on X shows flames coming from one of the engines as the aircraft climbed after leaving Queenstown.
One witness said they heard several loud bangs before seeing the fire.
“QF122 Just flew over us after taking off from Queenstown. Heard several loud bangs coming from the sky. Opened our balcony door to see fire coming out one of the engines,” the user said on social media.
“One of our flights to Sydney experienced a suspected engine issue after take-off from Queenstown this afternoon and the aircraft diverted to Christchurch,” a Qantas spokesperson said.
“Our pilots are highly trained to manage situations like this and the aircraft landed safely.
“We know this would have been a distressing experience for passengers and will be contacting all customers to provide support.”
Qantas said passengers would be provided with accommodation following the diversion.
Customers will also be re-booked on other flights to continue their journey to Sydney.
The airline has not provided further details about the suspected engine issue.
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