Emirates Aircraft Flies With A Hole In Its Side For 14 Hours [Photo]

An Emirates jet from Dubai flew for 14 hours with a hole in its side before the aircraft safely landed in Australia, reports said.

The passengers in Airbus A380 reportedly heard a loud bang soon after the flight took off from Dubai on July 1. However, the startling discovery was made only after the plane landed in Brisbane. The crew found a hole on the side of the left-wing root fairing, where the wing meets the cabin.

"There was a loud bang, and I felt it through the floor as well. The cabin crew remained calm, stopped the food service and got on the phone, checked the wings, and engines," a passenger said, reported Lad Bible.

The crew on board the flight informed airport officials they might need emergency services to land in Brisbane as they suspect a tire was blown during the takeoff.

The crew reportedly informed passengers that the flight might land on a different runway because of a landing gear problem that had to be inspected by an engineer.

However, the exact issue became clear only after the 14-hour journey. The aircraft, which landed safely at Brisbane Airport, did not depart for its return flight and was on the ground for about 17 hours after the landing, Aviation Herald reported.

An Emirates spokesperson explained that the issue was caused by a rupture in one of the tires.

"One of the aircraft's 22 tires ruptured during the cruise, causing damage to a small portion of the aerodynamic fairing, which is an outer panel or the skin of the aircraft," the spokesperson said.

The airline also confirmed that no one was injured in the incident and all passengers disembarked as per the schedule.

"At no point did it have any impact on the fuselage, frame, or structure of the aircraft. The aircraft landed safely in Brisbane and all passengers disembarked as scheduled. The fairing has been completely replaced, checked, and cleared by engineers, Airbus, and all relevant authorities," the spokesperson added.