WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A passenger aircraft departing from Sydney, Australia, faced a serious situation on Friday due to an engine malfunction during takeoff, leading to a successful emergency landing according to the airline, Qantas.

As this occurred, a grass fire ignited near one of the airport’s runways. While Sydney Airport officials were uncertain if the two incidents were connected, they confirmed that the fire was swiftly contained, though flight delays were anticipated.

Qantas did not disclose the number of passengers aboard the Boeing 737-800, which was en route to Brisbane when the engine failed with a loud noise. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Captain Richard Tobiano, Qantas’s Chief Pilot, expressed understanding of the distress that passengers may have experienced, stating that the airline would reach out to all individuals on board to offer support. He also noted that an investigation would be launched to determine the cause of the engine failure.

Officials from Sydney Airport confirmed that the primary runway remained operational. The grass fire occurred adjacent to another runway, which was undergoing inspection and not in use at the time. They issued warnings regarding possible delays and advised passengers to verify their flight statuses directly with their respective airlines.

Mark Willacy, a reporter from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, reported that an off-duty pilot onboard the aircraft offered assistance to the Qantas pilot during the emergency landing procedure.

According to a flight tracking website, the airplane spent approximately 20 minutes in the air, circling above the airport prior to landing.