A passenger plane has "landed safely" after being diverted to Invercargill Airport this evening, after fire was reportedly spotted coming from an engine.
The Virgin Australia flight had left Queenstown for Melbourne at 6pm before being seen circling off the coast of Bluff, according to FlightRadar.
Reports from eyewitnesses on the ground said they heard loud noises from the plane and saw flames shooting out of an engine.
In a statement this evening, Virgin Australia chief operations officer Stuart Aggs confirmed to 1News "all passengers have disembarked VA148, which landed safely at New Zealand’s Invercargill Airport following a possible bird-strike after departing from Queenstown Airport".
There were 67 guests and six crew on board at the time of the incident.
The plane eventually landed safely after being diverted to Invercargill. Source: Michael Bursi (Source: Supplied)
Aggs said emergency services were at the scene but the airline was "not aware of any physical injuries to guests or crew" at this stage.
"Our efforts are now focused on providing support for our guests and crew, as well as transporting and accommodating guests in Invercargill this evening and arranging for their earliest onward travel to Australia."
He confirmed the aircraft, a Boeing 737-800 registered VH-YIV, left Queenstown Airport at approximately 6pm, landing at Invercargill Airport at 6.50pm.
"We wish to express our appreciation for the support of Invercargill Airport, emergency services, local Air New Zealand team members and our crew onboard in helping to support tonight’s response effort."
The Virgin Australia flight left from Queenstown, originally bound for Melbourne, this evening. (Source: Supplied)
IT worker Eden Brackstone was in his home about 2km away from Queenstown Airport when he heard a loud bang "echoing off of the hills" and ran outside.
"I thought it was either an extremely loud car or subwoofer," he told 1News.
"It was one of the loudest things I’ve ever heard in this neighbourhood."
A person who claimed to be on board the flight posted an image to X stating the plane had hit several birds on takeoff causing the engine fire.
The person on board the flight said at 7pm that the captain had confirmed it was a bird strike, and the passengers were sitting on the plane on the tarmac waiting to disembark.
The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand said it is aware of the incident involving a Virgin Australia aircraft which took off from Queenstown and diverted to Invercargill.
"It was unofficially reported that there was an engine fire on climb-out as a result of a suspected bird strike. At 18:50 the aircraft landed safely in Invercargill. It’s currently too early for us to comment on the specifics and in the coming days we will work to understand the situation and next steps."
An Invercargill resident near the airport told 1News the incident brought back memories of the Mount Erebus disaster.
"[Back then] half of Invercargill was looking up waiting for this big plane to arrive at the closest airport and land and it never arrived.
"So when I was watching the news tonight … I thought oh my gosh you know, it brought us back to those days of looking up to the skies and looking for this plane.
"It’s really great to have rushed down here and actually be privileged to see it land safely with all those 73 people [on board].
"I’m really pleased and a good outcome for all concerned."
SHARE ME