Qantas Depressurisation
 

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...45-661,00.html

Seems as though it was HKG-MEL... diverted to MNL

Thanks for the link Michael. Here is another news report:
http://www.bigpond.com/news/topstori...25/2314706.asp

Apparently there is a 'gigantic gaping hole' in the aircraft according to one passenger...

Will be interesting to see what the fault was. It reads like it was a emergency exit door?

Airliners.net has a rumour of a 1x1 meter hole in the fuselage. Window maybe?

Good to hear that everyone is okay

I assume a 744

"Gaping hole from the wing to the underbody'"
Not sounding good...

VH-OJK is the offending a/c..

Looks like it's far more than just a door seal.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...section=justin

That sounds to me like a much more serious rupture than might have been assumed at first reports.

Here is the register extract for VH-OJK - it's no spring chicken:

QANTAS FLIGHT DIVERTS TO MANILA

SYDNEY, 25 July: Qantas has confirmed that a B747-400 aircraft operating QF30 from Hong Kong to Melbourne diverted to Manila today following a loss of cabin pressure.
The Chief Executive Officer of Qantas, Mr Geoff Dixon, said all 346 passengers and 19 crew disembarked normally and there were no reports of any injuries to passengers or crew.
The flight, which originated in London, landed in Manila at approximately 11.15am local time.
Mr Dixon said the flight crew had performed emergency procedures after oxygen masks were deployed.
He said initial inspections revealed the aircraft had sustained a hole in its fuselage, and it was currently being inspected by engineers.
“The Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) have been notified of the incident and Qantas is sending its own engineers to Manila.
“Qantas has provided all passengers with accommodation and a replacement aircraft has been arranged.”

Issued by Qantas Corporate Communication at 3.50pm (Q3792)

Brings back memories of a United Airlines flight 811 that had a cargo door open in flight due to a poor door locking mechanism design. That door on memory opened due to an electrical short, sending several passengers to their deaths.

This sounds like a major incident and lucky that everyone is in one piece.

sounding more serious as more details become public. Definately not a "simple" decompression, going by what a witness had to say on channel 9 afternoon news, there is a gaping hole in the side of the plane.