Virgin Australia Plane Bound for Melbourne Makes Emergency Landing in New Zealand After Engine Fire

A Virgin Australia flight bound for Melbourne from New Zealand was forced to make an emergency landing in Invercargill after one of its engines caught fire, according to the nation’s fire service.

The Boeing 737-800 jet, carrying 67 passengers and six crew members, departed from Queenstown Airport and experienced the engine fire shortly after takeoff.

The aircraft was diverted to Invercargill Airport where fire services awaited its arrival. Queenstown Airport spokesperson Catherine Nind noted that the cause of the fire and the exact number of people on board were yet to be determined.

Virgin Australia’s chief operations officer, Stuart Aggs, released a statement suggesting that a potential bird strike may have triggered the engine fire incident.

Following the emergency landing, all passengers on board were promised free overnight accommodation in Invercargill, with new flight arrangements to Melbourne being made by the airline.

New Zealand’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, sheds light on the frequency of bird strikes at the country’s airports, which stands at about four incidents per 10,000 aircraft movements.

This incident follows New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s recent experience of having to switch to a commercial flight for his trip to Japan after a breakdown of a defence force plane during a stop in Papua New Guinea.