MANILA (Reuters) - A Qantas Airways plane made an emergency landing in Manila on Friday after plunging thousands of feet and losing cabin pressure during a flight from Hong Kong to Melbourne.
Passengers reported hearing a loud bang before the aircraftrapidly lost altitude and said the Boeing 747-400 had a holethe size of a mini-van in its undercarriage when it landed inthe Philippine capital.
"It was an amazing experience, but not a good one," GlenyceJohnson, 47, told Reuters. "The aircraft plunged from around40,000 feet to 25,000 feet."
Qantas confirmed the loss of cabin pressure and the rupturein the aeroplane's fuselage and said all 346 passengers and 19crew disembarked safely. The aircraft was being inspected.
Johnson, who was travelling home to Australia, saw itemsflying out of the plane. Oxygen masks were released.
"I have to compliment the pilot for doing a good job, forsafely landing the plane."
QF30 left Hong Kong at 9 a.m. (2 a.m. British time) and wasdue to land in Melbourne at 9:45 p.m. (12:45 p.m. Britishtime). The flight originated in London.
(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Valerie Lee and AlexRichardson)
