Jump to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleMonday 07 September 2026 10:36 BSTA Qantas plane passes an air traffic control tower as it taxis along a runway Sydney Airport (Reuters)A Qantas Boeing 737 flight from Queenstown to Sydney was forced to make an unexpected landing in Christchurch following a suspected engine issue.Passengers on board flight QF122 reported seeing flames coming from the left-hand engine and experiencing severe turbulence shortly after take-off.The pilot safely landed the aircraft in Christchurch around an hour after departure, with the plane met by emergency services on the runway.It has been reported that the diversion was not classified as an emergency and that both engines were operational upon landing.Passengers were provided with hotel accommodation in Christchurch and rebooked on flights to Sydney for the following day while engineers inspected the aircraft.In fullQantas passengers describe panic as engine appears to emit fire mid-airMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in