A technical problem forced a Qantas plane to make a dramatic emergency landing in Western Australia.
Flight QF1613, a Fokker 100 aircraft, took off from Geraldton about 9am on Friday towards Perth, but turned around 45 minutes into the flight near Arrowsmith.
“The captain took the microphone and said: ‘There is a vibration on the left side of the plane, so stay calm and we are going back to Geraldton to make an emergency landing,'” passenger Loic Foison told the alphabet after the plane landed safely.
Foison said the situation was “stressful” and that the plane lost altitude and passengers could see through the windows that it was “very close to the ground.”
‘It was really strange. Everyone was calm. Nobody spoke. Pretty calm but really anxious.’
Fellow passenger Mathilda Tricoire said she at one point assumed the plane was going to land in the remote WA countryside because it was flying so low.
Qantas said in a statement that the plane had a minor technical issue and would be examined before being allowed to return to service.
Passenger reservations on alternative flights were changed on Friday.
The Qantas Fokker 100 aircraft (pictured, the same model at Perth Airport) landed safely on Friday morning.
The flight turned around about 45 minutes after take-off and maintained a circular pattern before landing back at Geraldton.