Qantas flight probe continues

Updated 12.26 Wed Jul 30 2008

Keywords: manila, passengers, investigators, probe, flight, hole, qantas

A probe into why a hole was blown in a Qantas jet has found part of an oxygen bottle burst into the cabin and partly moved a door lock.

Last Friday, a Qantas 747-400 suffered a loss of cabin pressure during the Hong Kong to Melbourne leg of a flight which had left London, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Manila in the Philippines.

Passengers reported a loud bang before the depressurisation, and some complained of faulty oxygen masks during the emergency descent

Passengers reported a loud bang before the depressurisation, and some complained of faulty oxygen masks during the emergency descent.

All 346 passengers and 19 crew disembarked safely in Manila where investigators continue to examine data from the plane's flight data recorder, which shows flight QF30 had to drop from 29,000 feet to 10,000 feet in five minutes.

Oxygen bottles kept in the hold have been examined by Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigators who say part of one canister blew through the floor of the passenger compartment and moved a door handle towards the open position.

ATSB director Julian Walsh said: "There was never any danger of the door opening."

He said the impact sheared the door handle, which was designed to break if someone attempted to open the doors in flight, and the door latches remained locked.

Mr Walsh added: "The investigation team is still examining the oxygen system," referring to complaints about faulty masks.