June 15, 2026 — 7:38pm
A Virgin Australia flight to Perth was forced to make an emergency landing soon after taking off from Melbourne on Monday evening, after crew on board reported an engine issue.
A Melbourne Airport spokesperson said the Boeing 737-800 landed safely just before 6:50pm, with all passengers disembarking safely.
A Virgin aircraft’s engine caught fire on Monday evening The Age “Virgin Australia flight VA697 to Perth returned to Melbourne Airport this evening after the crew reported an engine issue,” the spokesperson said.
The flight took off at 6:05pm, travelling for 44 minutes before making the emergency landing.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to Tullamarine soon after landing, which the spokesperson said was in line with standard procedures.
Runway inspections were carried out before the runway reopened.
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Carla Jaeger is a journalist for The Age. Got a tip? Email carla.jaeger@theage.com.au or message carlajaeger.62 on Signal. Connect via X or email .
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Read the full article at The Age →📄Source document: Melbourne Airport spokesperson
2 reports
The AgeParty-alignedCenter6 days agoA Virgin Australia flight departing from Melbourne to Perth made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff on Monday due to an engine issue. The Boeing 737-800 landed safely at Melbourne Airport around 6:50pm, with all passengers disembarking without incident. Firefighters and paramedics responded to the scene as part of standard procedure, and runway inspections were conducted before resuming operations.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a straightforward event—an emergency landing due to an engine issue—without any apparent ideological framing, loaded language, or emphasis on political implications. It provides factual details about the incident, including the time, location, and response by airport personnel
Official sources cited
- organisation Melbourne Airport spokesperson
The Sydney Morning HeraldParty-alignedCenter6 days agoA Virgin Australia flight departing from Melbourne to Perth made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff due to an engine issue. The Boeing 737-800 landed safely at Melbourne Airport around 6:50pm, with all passengers disembarking without incident. Firefighters and paramedics responded to the scene as part of standard procedure, and runway inspections were conducted before resuming operations.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a straightforward event—an emergency landing due to an engine issue—without any apparent ideological framing, loaded language, or emphasis on political implications. It provides factual details about the incident, including the time, location, and response by airport personnel
Official sources cited
- organisation Melbourne Airport spokesperson
Australia