Oxygen tank explosion may have damaged Qantas jet

MANILA: Air safety investigators said Sunday that an exploding oxygen cylinder may have been to blame for tearing a huge hole in an Australian Qantas jumbo jet in mid-air, nearly causing a disaster.

Officials said an oxygen back-up cylinder is missing from the aircraft, and ordered the airline to inspect all such bottles on its fleet of Boeing 747s.

The plane was flying from Hong Kong to Melbourne on Friday when an explosive bang led to a sudden loss of air pressure in the cabin. The plane, which had originated in London and was carrying 365 passengers and crew, plunged 6,000 metres before stabilising, then made an emergency landing in the Philippines capital Manila.

There, stunned passengers saw a three-metre hole in the fuselage adjoining the right wing. An investigator from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, Neville Blyth, told reporters in Manila that an oxygen back-up cylinder was missing.

“It is too early to say if this was the cause of the explosion,” Blyth said. “But one of the cylinders which provides back-up oxygen is missing.” He said investigators had ruled out terrorism. “There is no evidence of a security related event here. Philippine sniffer
dogs have inspected the baggage and found no materials of concern.”