QANTAS never crashed.
Posted on 10/07/2008 5:19:47 AM PDT by naturalman1975
THRITY-SIX people were hurt, some seriously, when thrown from their seats as an international Qantas plane suddenly lost altitude over Western Australia today.
WA police said at least 12 passengers were seriously injured, with broken bones and lacerations, when the Airbus A330-300 flying from Singapore to Perth struck what Qantas described as a "sudden change in altitude".
The pilots sent a mayday call shortly before making an emergency landing at 1.45pm (WST) at Learmonth, about 40km from Exmouth on West Australia's Gascoyne coast, Qantas said. It had been due to land in Perth at 2.10pm (WST).
Paramedics and emergency workers scrambled to tend the injured.
WA assistant police commissioner John McRoberts said 36 of the 303 passengers aboard the aircraft were injured, 12 of them seriously and were taken to Exmouth Regional Hospital.
It was not known if any of the plane's 10 crew were injured, he said.
A Health Department spokeswoman said Exmouth hospital was assessing the passengers' injuries.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service was preparing to send up to four planes to Exmouth to fly the most seriously injured to Perth, but RFDS public affairs director Lesleigh Green said none of the passengers' injuries was thought to be life threatening.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
Wonder what kind of airport they diverted to. Doesn’t sound like a very large town.
It’s a Royal Australian Air Force Base that also serves as a civil airport. It’s a ‘bare base’ - no Air Force units are based there, it’s kept as a contingency. It does have a 10,000 feet long runway, though, so just about anything can land there.
The nearest town - and that is twenty or so miles away - is Exmouth with a population of about 2000. The nearest towns of any size (over 10,000) are over 300 miles away.
Perth is about 900 miles away and has a population of 1.5 million. It’s basically the closest large city.
QANTAS never crashed.
Keep the seat belt fastened even when the light is off. On a recent trip, I noticed Qantas and JetStar seem to turn that light off way before United does after takeoff and keep it off even during light to medium chop. These days it seems like one little bump causes United pilots to turn the “fasten seat belt” light on.
The US Navy used to have a communications base there; I lived there with my family from 78-81. Terrific small town living and “bonzer” diving. Still keep in touch with my Aussie friends.
It’s important to keep the seat belt fastened, particularly on large planes. The danger is floating up to the ceiling on an altitude loss, then falling onto the floor or seats or other passengers.
The danger is floating up to the ceiling on an altitude loss...
BUMP!
Sounds like a Michael Crichton novel.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.