Susanna Riva On September 6, 2026, a Qantas flight from Queenstown to Sydney experienced a tense moment when flames were spotted from the left engine shortly after takeoff. Flight QF122, which departed at 15:25 p.m. with 160 passengers on board, was forced to divert to Christchurch, where it landed safely after a 52-minute flight.
Flames spotted from the left engine
Videos shared on social media captured flames billowing from the left engine of the Boeing 737-800 shortly after takeoff. According to initial reports, the accident was caused by a bird strike during takeoff.
A witness, Nic Chamberlain, described the noise as a series of rapid booms , similar to gunshots, which alarmed the passengers.
The pilots' reaction and the deviation
The pilots, highly trained to handle emergency situations, decided to divert the flight to Christchurch , initially considering Invercargill as a possible destination.
A Qantas spokesperson said: “ One of our flights to Sydney experienced a suspected engine issue after takeoff from Queenstown this afternoon and the aircraft diverted to Christchurch. Our pilots are highly trained to handle situations like this and the aircraft landed safely. ”
Safe landing and subsequent operations
The flight landed at 16:57 p.m. at Christchurch Airport , where the passengers were assisted and re-arranged. The aircraft, registration VH-VZQ, remained grounded for further assessment. Qantas assured all passengers involved that it would be supportive, acknowledging that the experience would be disruptive.
The accident did not cause significant disruption to airport services at Queenstown and Christchurch , which remained operational. The aircraft involved, a 15 -year-old Boeing 737-800, was originally operated by Jetconnect before being transferred to the main Qantas fleet in.