Perth: Up to 40 passengers and crew were injured, some suffering broken bones and cuts, when a Qantas jetliner suddenly changed altitude today, Australian police and the airline said.

The Airbus A330 300 made an emergency landing at an airfield near the Western Australian town of Exmouth after making a mayday call when the mid air drama struck during a flight from Singapore to Perth.

 A number of passengers and crew sustained injuries, including fractures and lacerations, on board QF72 this afternoon en route from Singapore to Perth following a sudden change in altitude, the Australian flag carrier said.

 Emergency services and medical staff were on standby at the Learmonth air base, which lies about 1,100 kms northeast of the state capital of Perth, said Sergeant Greg Lambert of the West Australian Police.

It is understood up to 40 people were injured during a mid air incident, he said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said early reports indicated that around 30 passengers and crew had been hurt, 15 of them sustaining serious injuries, including broken bones and lacerations.

While cruising in level flight, the aircraft experienced a sudden in flight upset, resulting in injuries to a number of cabin crew and passengers, primarily in the rear of the aircraft, the bureau said in a statement.

The crew declared a mayday and diverted the aircraft to Learmonth ... Where it landed without further incident, it said, adding that it was launching an immediate investigation. An emergency services worker said paramedics had boarded the Qantas aircraft and were tending to the injured after it touched down at around 1105(IST).

Source : PTI