Qantas plane makes emergency landing with hole in undercarriage: official

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

MANILA (AFP) — A Qantas Boeing 747 passenger plane made an emergency landing at Manila airport on Friday after a "hole in its belly" caused it to lose cabin pressure, an airport official said.

Manila airport operations officer Ding Lima told local radio that the aircraft lost cabin pressure shortly after leaving Hong Kong bound for Melbourne.

"The captain of the aircraft immediately called the control tower for an immediate landing," said Lima.

"There is a big hole in the belly of the aircraft near the right wing about three metres in diameter," he said.

He said the aircraft was carrying 350 passengers and 16 crew.

© 2008 AFP