FROM THE ATSB
MEDIA RELEASE
2008/38
Qantas Airbus Incident
07 October 2008
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has been notified of an incident involving a Qantas Airbus A330 aircraft on a flight from Singapore to Perth. While cruising in level flight, the aircraft experienced a sudden in-flight upset, resulting in injuries to a number of cabin crew and passengers, primarily in the rear of the aircraft.
The crew declared a MAYDAY and diverted the aircraft to Learmonth, near Exmouth in WA, where it landed without further incident.
Early reports indicate that three cabin crew and approximately 30 passengers sustained injuries, including about 15 with serious injuries, namely broken bones and lacerations.
The ATSB has initiated a safety investigation and is making arrangements for investigators to travel to Learmonth as soon as possible.