Flight crew on a Qantas Airways Boeing 737 passenger aircraft issued a mayday distress signal over the Pacific Ocean while flying towards Sydney, Australia.
The incident took place on January 18, 2023, when the Qantas Airways Boeing 737-800 plane, registered VH-XZB, was operating flight QF144 connecting Auckland (AKL) in New Zealand and Sydney (SYD) in Australia.
When the jet was around an hour from SYD airport, pilots squawked the distress code ‘7700’, The mayday signal, which suggests impending danger, was downgraded to “PAN-PAN” (Possible Assistance Needed) before landing.
The Boeing 737, which was carrying 145 passengers onboard, suffered an issue with one of its engines. According to reports, the plane had experienced a suspected engine shutdown.
One of the incident witnesses confirmed to CNN that he heard a bang, followed by a slight shudder during the three-and-a-half-hour flight.
Once the aircraft landed at SYD airport, emergency services rushed to the aircraft, where passengers were able to disembark. No further incidents were reported.