A Jetstar flight heading to Thailand made an emergency return to Sydney just hours after takeoff. Flight JQ27 departed from Sydney Airport at approximately 3:20 PM on Wednesday, only to land back at the same airport around 5 PM. According to a spokesperson from Jetstar, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner encountered a ‘mechanical issue’ during its journey. The pilots promptly requested a priority landing, and emergency services were on standby as a precaution. Engineers are currently investigating the issue’s cause. Initially, it was thought that the plane’s front tire had exploded during takeoff. However, footage from 7NEWS showed engineers attending to the rear tire, which seemed to be worn. Jetstar later clarified that one of the ten tires was indeed damaged during takeoff, but it did not burst. Flight tracking data indicated that the aircraft circled several times near Richmond in northwest Sydney before flying over the water east of the airport and landing safely. The airport temporarily closed the runway for half an hour to facilitate the landing process. Images captured by 7NEWS showed the plane landing smoothly, and it has been reported that all passengers are safe.
