Stricken jumbo lands safely

PERTH - A Sydney-bound Qantas jumbo jet yesterday made an emergency landing in Perth after a fuel leak was detected four hours after it took off from Singapore.

QF32, a Boeing 747-400 carrying 290 passengers, is the same aircraft that was diverted from Hong Kong to Manila in July last year after an oxygen cylinder blew holes in the fuselage and floor mid-flight.

A Qantas spokeswoman said there "was absolutely no link" between the two incidents and there was no danger to passengers in the latest incident.

"One of the plane's engines was shut down as a precaution when the leak showed up on the controls," the spokeswoman said.

"It arrived safely in Perth."

She said it was hoped the plane could be checked and cleared to fly passengers to Sydney, where it had been due.

Otherwise, passengers would be accommodated overnight at hotels in Perth.

- NZPA