Panic on board Qantas flight as engine emits flames and gunshot sounds

A Qantas flight suffered an engine fire on Saturday 5 September 2026, causing panic among passengers who witnessed flames from their cabin windows and experienced turbulence, before the plane made an unscheduled landing.

The incident took place on a Boeing 737 serving Flight QF122 from Queenstown, New Zealand, to Sydney, Australia. The three-hour trip was cut short just after takeoff at 4:05 pm, when the engine fire was detected.

Passengers who later spoke to reporters described an atmosphere of terror on the aircraft, as people screamed, calling for the plane to land; flames were visible outside the plane, and loud bangs were heard. Footage taken from below reveals fire emerging from the port-side engine and noises like gunshots audible from the ground.

Kriti Sethi, speaking to Australian public broadcaster ABC, said “it was quite scary,” but described how the “amazing” Qantas crew members helped to calm passengers down. A pilot announcement informed them that there had been a chemical failure with the engines and that there would be an unexpected, precautionary landing in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The incident was not classed as an emergency, and both engines remained operational during the flight. The plane then landed without issue, or any reported injuries to passengers or crew in Christchurch, where it was met by emergency services. Passengers were accommodated overnight in the South Island “Garden City” and transferred to Sydney the following day on a complimentary flight.

A Qantas spokesperson told The Independent: “One of our flights to Sydney experienced a suspected engine issue after take-off from Queenstown on Saturday afternoon and the aircraft diverted to Christchurch. Our pilots are highly trained to manage situations like this and the aircraft landed safely.”

The airline also went on to acknowledge the trauma to passengers, saying: “We know this would have been a distressing experience for passengers and will be contacting all customers to provide support.”

A technical review has been launched to determine the cause of the engine fire. New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority said that after such events, all “aircraft undergo thorough inspections and any necessary maintenance before being returned to service.”

One former Qantas pilot who safely landed Qantas QF32 in 2010 after a catastrophic engine failure in Singapore has speculated that the “flames and ‘popping’” sounds could have been symptoms of a “surge and stall” event. This occurs when “disrupted airflow through the jet engine”, caused by a bird strike or similar obstacle, prevents the smooth passage of air across the engine’s turbine blades and limits thrust capacity.

Qantas is currently rated the third safest world airline by Airline Ratings, with what Travel Weekly calls an “unmatched” record of zero fatalities in the modern jet era.