HK flight terror as hole opens in jumbo mid-air

HK flight terror as hole opens in jumbo mid-air
Nearly 350 passengers had a terrifying experience soon after taking off from Hong Kong yesterday when a chunk of fuselage of the Melbourne-bound jet they were travelling in blew off in mid-air.

Oxygen masks dropped as the pilot took the Qantas Airways Boeing 747 down 5,800 metres in seconds to depressurise the cabin, before making an emergency landing in Manila.

Despite what some passengers described as a "terrifying ordeal", no one was injured in the incident, which left the aircraft with a hole about 2 metres by 4 metres in its underbelly. Some passengers vomited after landing.

The hole went completely through the fuselage and caused what the pilot called "explosive decompression".

A video taped by a passenger of the panel on the back of a passenger seat showed a sudden change in altitude from 8,800 metres to 3,000 metres within seconds.

One passenger heard a loud bang before the plane made its sudden descent.
"There was a terrific boom, and bits of wood and debris just flew forward into the first [class], and the oxygen masks dropped down ... it was absolutely terrifying, but I have to say everyone was very calm."

Another passenger, Marina Scaffidi, said the hole extended from the cargo hold into the passenger cabin, and there was wind swirling around the plane and some condensation, but no one was "too hysterical".

Flight QF30 landed at Manila's international airport just after 11am.The 346 passengers - including 70 who boarded in Hong Kong - and 19 crew were put up in hotels. Qantas arranged for the passengers to board another plane just after 11pm. They were due to arrive in Melbourne this morning.

A Qantas spokeswoman said the cause of the incident was under investigation.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the descent, "in accordance with established procedures", was necessary in face of the rapid decompression of the cabin.

Anita Lam and Associated Press Jul 26, 2008

SCMP