Qantas Flight 30

Qantas Flight 30
Damage sustained by the 747
Accident
Date25 July 2008 (2008-07-25)
SummaryIn-flight explosion leading to structural damage
Rapid decompression
SiteSouth China Sea west of Luzon, Philippines
Aircraft

VH-OJK, the aircraft involved, in December 2007
Aircraft typeBoeing 747-438
Aircraft nameCity of Newcastle
OperatorQantas
IATA flight No.QF30
ICAO flight No.QFA30
Call signQANTAS 30
RegistrationVH-OJK
Flight originLondon Heathrow Airport
StopoverHong Kong International Airport
DestinationMelbourne Airport
Occupants365
Passengers346
Crew19
Fatalities0
Injuries0
Survivors365

Qantas Flight 30, on 25 July 2008, a Boeing 747-438 operated by Qantas, construction number 25067, registration VH-OJK, was a scheduled flight from London Heathrow to Melbourne with a stopover in Hong Kong. The flight was interrupted on the Hong Kong to Melbourne leg by an exploding oxygen tank that ruptured the fuselage just forward of the starboard wing root. 53-year-old Captain John Bartels (who had flown for Qantas for 25 years and the Royal Australian Navy for 7 years) and his co-pilots, Bernd Werninghaus and Paul Tabac, made an emergency descent to a breathable altitude of about 10,000 feet (3,048 m) and diverted to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Metro Manila, Philippines. There were no injuries.