An Australia-bound Boeing 747 returned to San Francisco International Airport to make an emergency landing after one of its engines exploded.
Qantas Airways Flight No. 74 took off from SFO bound for Sydney around 11:10 p.m. Monday. Forty-five minutes into the flight, an explosion ripped through engine No. 4 on the plane’s right side, punching a hole through the engine’s external casing, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The pilot declared an emergency and jettisoned fuel over the Pacific Ocean before returning and landing safely at SFO at 12:45 a.m.
The flight had 212 passengers and 18 crew members aboard. No injuries were reported.
KTVU reported passengers hearing a loud bang and feeling the plane vibrate.
An airport spokesman said Qantas is trying to reschedule the passengers’ flights. The passengers spent the night in area hotels. NBC Bay Area reported the passengers may be rerouted through Los Angeles.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
