A380 engine 'fault' jolts Emirates fliers with a 'flash' and 'bang'

An Emirates Airbus A380 was forced to return to Sydney last night (Nov. 11) after a "fault" with one of its engines that passengers say was accompanied with a "bright flash" and loud "bang."

The Dubai-bound flight was about 20 minutes into flight and at an altitude of 10,000 feet when the fire was reported. There were 380 passengers on the flight, according to Reuters.

Initial reports suggested the incident was an engine fire, but Emirates says that was not the case.

"There was no fire, flames or smoke, however passengers may have witnessed a spark and a noise from the engine," Emirates says in a statement quoted by Bloomberg News.

"Emirates flight EK413 from Sydney to Dubai on 11 November turned back shortly after take-off due to an engine fault," Emirates adds an Monday statement quoted by Reuters. "Passengers are being re-booked on alternative flights."

"It seemed about half an hour into the flight when I saw a bright orange flash, heard a loud bang and there was a big thump through the cabin," journalist Matt Campbell, a passenger on the flight, says to The Sydney Morning Herald. "It was a bright orange light, I didn't see it for more than a split second, but it was still a very scary sight."

"The flight attendants were rushing about through the cabin and then eventually the PA came on and the captain said there was an engine problem with engine number three and that engine had now been shut down," he adds to the paper.

Emirates says it's still working to figure out the cause of the fault.