Qantas Flight Diversions After Engine Flames Over Queenstown

A Qantas Boeing 737-800 flight experienced an engine issue after taking off from Queenstown Airport in New Zealand. The plane, which was heading to Sydney with around 160 passengers on board, was diverted to Christchurch Airport.

According to witnesses, the plane's left engine caught fire shortly after departure, causing flames to shoot out of the back. 'This was kind of like rapid succession boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,' said Nic Chamberlain, a witness who captured video of the incident.

The flight had departed 40 minutes late and was initially heading for Invercargill Airport before being diverted to Christchurch. Qantas confirmed that the plane's pilots were highly trained to manage situations like this, and the aircraft landed safely at 4:57 PM after a 52-minute flight.