Qantas engineers and aviation safety inspectors are set to examine a plane's jet engine to determine why it failed on an Auckland-Sydney flight, prompting a mayday call and emergency landing.
The pilot of Qantas Flight 144, a Boeing 737 aircraft, shut down the engine and made the mayday call over the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday afternoon before landing safely at Sydney airport at about 3.30 pm.
Passengers reported feeling bumps or a bit of turbulence but said they did not know a mayday had been issued until they landed.
No one was hurt, and passengers praised the pilot for landing the plane safely on one engine.
Qantas said while "inflight engine shutdowns" are rare and concerning for passengers, pilots are trained "to manage them safely, and aircraft are designed to fly for an extended period on one engine".
It said all 145 passengers disembarked the aircraft normally.
Australian and International Pilots Association's vice president Mark Hofmeyer commended the pilots for making safe decisions while under pressure.
"It's very easy for Thursday morning quarterbacks to say what should or shouldn't have happened," Mr Hofmeyer told AAP.
"They weren't on the flight. Our members were, and I thank them for the decisions they made because, at the end of the day, it was a safe outcome."
Aviation expert Neil Hansford told the ABC that "Qantas has never had a passenger lost on a jet aircraft in its history".
He said Qantas engineers would immediately investigate what may have caused the engine failure, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau would be initiating an inquiry.
Passengers told reporters an engine failed, but no one on board appeared panicked during the flight.
"I kind of heard the little bang and then a bit of turbulence, and we just thought, okay, this is a bit weird," passenger Sandika McAuley said.
"But we didn't really know anything until we landed, then we got told that there was a mayday call and the engine failed."
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King lauded Qantas' safety record after a scare that had 100,000 people tracking the flight online.
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said she was relieved the plane had landed safely. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
"Australia's aviation industry is among the safest in the world because of the dedicated staff working on planes and behind the scenes."
A mayday call is issued when a flight is in grave and imminent danger and needs immediate assistance, according to Airservices Australia, the federal agency responsible for ensuring safe air travel.
Once the call is made, controllers alert aviation rescue, firefighting and emergency services with details on how to respond. They also provide assistance to pilots.
"As a precaution, Sydney Airport had emergency crews on stand-by including firefighters, ambulance and police," an Airservices Australia spokesperson told AAP.
Correction: This article previously said one of the engines had a panel missing. This was incorrect.
