36 injured in Qantas incident over WA

(AAP) Thirty-six people were hurt, some seriously, when thrown from their seats as an international Qantas plane suddenly lost altitude over Western Australia on Tuesday.

WA police said at least 20 passengers were seriously injured, with broken bones and
lacerations, when the Airbus A330-300 flying from Singapore to Perth struck what
Qantas described as a "sudden change in altitude".
The pilots sent a mayday call shortly before making an emergency landing at 1.45pm
(WST) at Learmonth, about 40km from Exmouth on West Australia's Gascoyne coast,
Qantas said. It had been due to land in Perth at 2.10pm (WST).
Paramedics and emergency workers scrambled to tend the injured.
WA assistant police commissioner John McRoberts said 36 of the 303 passengers aboard
the aircraft were injured, 12 of them seriously and were taken to Exmouth Regional
Hospital.
It was not known if any of the plane's 10 crew were injured, he said.
A Health Department spokeswoman said Exmouth hospital was assessing the passengers'
injuries.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service was preparing to send up to four planes to Exmouth
to fly the most seriously injured to Perth, but RFDS public affairs director
Lesleigh Green said none of the passengers' injuries was thought to be life
threatening.
Mr McRoberts told reporters that two planes carrying three medical teams were on
their way to Exmouth to tend to the injured.
Twelve customs officers also were aboard the planes and would assist in the transfer
of unharmed passengers to Perth, he said.
"Alternative arrangements are being made for those who may not want to travel on
aircraft this evening," Mr McRoberts said.
He said Perth airport had activated its accident emergency plan and Department of
Child Protection staff would be at the airport awaiting the arrival of the two
planes to assist with repatriation.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had been contacted and foreign embassies
and consular officials would be alerted as soon as possible to advise of foreign
nationals involved in the incident, Mr McRoberts said.
The Air Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said it had commenced investigating the
incident, which it described as a "sudden in-flight upset" while cruising in "level
flight".
It said most of the injured were travelling in the rear of the aircraft.
"The crew declared a mayday and diverted the aircraft to Learmonth, near Exmouth in
WA, where it landed without further incident," the ATSB said in a statement.
Neither the ATSB or Qantas would confirm that turbulence was responsible for the
aircraft's sudden drop.
Two ATSB investigators were on their way to the airport to investigate the incident
and another five would arrive as soon as possible.
Qantas later announced it had sent two aircraft to Learmonth to take passengers and
crew to their final destination in Perth.
It said a B767 was due to arrive in Learmonth at 5.10pm (WST) and a B717 at 5.40pm.
The aircraft were expected to arrive in Perth at 7.50pm (WST) and 8:35pm respectively.
The airline said inquiries about passengers should be directed to 1800 062 241.