Runway fire breaks out at Sydney Airport after emergency landing

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — An engine failure on a passenger plane taking off from Sydney, Australia on Friday prompted the aircraft to circle before a safe emergency landing, the airline Qantas said.

At the same time, a grass fire broke out along one side of a runway, Sydney Airport said in a statement. It was not known if the two events were linked. The fire has been brought under control, but flight delays are expected.

Qantas did not say how many passengers were on board the twin jet Boeing 737-800 bound for Brisbane when the engine failed with a loud bang. No injuries were reported.

“We understand this would have been a distressing experience for customers and we will be contacting all customers this afternoon to provide support,” Qantas Chief Pilot Captain Richard Tobiano said in a statement. “We will also be conducting an investigation into what caused the engine issue.”

Sydney Airport said its main runway was still in service. The grass fire broke out along the side of a parallel runway which was being inspected before it could be used again, the airport said in a statement.

It said delays were expected and advised travelers to check their flight’s status with the airline.

Mark Willacy, an Australian Broadcasting Corp. reporter, told the news outlet that an off-duty pilot who was a passenger on the plane had helped the Qantas pilot during the emergency landing.

A flight tracking website shows the aircraft was airborne for about 20 minutes, flying in circles above the airport.

Graham-McLay is an Associated Press reporter covering regional and national stories about New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands by putting them in a global context. She is based in Wellington.