Airplane passengers were surprised when they landed when they saw a big hole in the hull of the plane they were on.
Photos of the damaged Airbus A380 that have been shared on social networks show the extent of the perforation.
A passenger onboard Emirates’ 14-hour flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to the city of Brisbane, Australia, described in a Twitter post the “terrifying” incident that happened “in full flight,” reports CNN.
“It was absolutely terrifying at first and the crew knew something serious had probably happened. They immediately made contact with the cockpit,” wrote Andrew Morris, an English professor at Loughborough University in Britain.
“Soon after, they resumed their work normally. Their calm was reassuring, they knew it was not catastrophic,” added the professor.
Reports indicate that the hull-piercing incident occurred about 45 minutes after takeoff, according to CNN.
The puncture on the left side of the plane is believed to have occurred after a problem with the landing brake.
“After landing, a large hole was seen in the left fuselage, probably due to a bolt that had come off the landing brake,” reports the Avion Herald, a site specializing in commercial aviation.