{
  "id": 6111403,
  "title": "Flames and popping sounds: Experts explain Qantas engine incident",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/flames-and-popping-sounds-experts-explain-qantas-engine-incident",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-07T07:02:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
    "slug": "the-sydney-morning-herald",
    "url": "https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/flames-and-popping-sounds-experts-explain-qantas-engine-incident-20260907-p60v5e.html?ref=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Qantas flight QF122, a Boeing 737, suffered a suspected engine issue shortly after taking off from Queenstown in New Zealand on Saturday. The plane was climbing above the scenic South Island's mountain ranges, bound for Sydney, when a bang shook the cabin and flames appeared to issue from the left engine in a series of rapid bursts.\n\nAccording to passenger Liza-Jayne Loch, who was seated near the left wing, a passenger shouted \"the engine's on fire\" as cabin lights began to flicker. Loch recalled that there was \"a lot of screaming\" and she tried to comfort herself by recalling that modern jets could land safely on a single engine.\n\nThe flight made a priority landing at Christchurch, touching down about 52 minutes after takeoff, shortly before 5pm local time. Former Qantas captain David Evans said that video footage showed \"flames and 'popping' sounds\" indicating disrupted airflow through the jet engine.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian",
        "title": "‘The engine’s on fire’: Qantas flight from Queenstown to Sydney reroutes after flames seen by passengers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/the-engines-on-fire-qantas-flight-from-queenstown-to-sydney-reroutes",
        "published": "2026-09-06T07:32:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "'People were screaming': Qantas passengers tell of engine spitting fire",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/people-were-screaming-qantas-passengers-tell-of-engine-spitting-fire",
        "published": "2026-09-06T09:38:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "Flames and popping sounds: Experts explain Qantas engine incident",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/flames-and-popping-sounds-experts-explain-qantas-engine-incident-6111485",
        "published": "2026-09-07T07:02:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}