Flight Forced to Return After Smoke Detected
A QantasLink flight carrying several Liberal politicians to a crucial net zero emissions policy meeting in Canberra was forced to make an emergency return to Adelaide on Tuesday morning after crew detected smoke in the cabin.
The aircraft, operating as QantasLink flight 1972, departed Adelaide at 6:10am local time but was compelled to turn back approximately 10 minutes after takeoff while flying over the St Vincent Gulf.
Political Passengers and Ironic Delay
On board were Liberal Senator Leah Blyth, Senator Andrew McLachlan, and lower house MP Tony Pasin. They were travelling to a specially scheduled party room meeting in Canberra where Liberal MPs were set to decide whether to abandon the net zero by 2050 pledge.
Senator Blyth remarked on the irony of the situation, telling the Adelaide Advertiser, "We were joking, saying the net zero debate has gone up in smoke." The incident highlights the political divisions within the party, with Blyth and Pasin favouring the abandonment of the target, while McLachlan is part of the moderate faction seeking to retain it.
Emergency Procedures and Passenger Reactions
The pilot requested a priority landing and issued a call for assistance. A Qantas spokesperson confirmed that smoke was evident in the flight deck following take-off, prompting the captain's decision to return.
Senator Blyth described the experience to Adelaide radio station FIVEAA as an "interesting start to the morning" but stated it "wasn't scary." She praised the Qantas staff for being "cool, calm and collected and got us back on the ground safely." Crucially, she noted the smell was "electrical rather than fuel," a detail often significant in aviation incidents.
Passengers from the affected flight were rebooked onto alternative services and were still expected to arrive in Canberra ahead of the midday meeting, which presents a key test for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley's ability to unite the party. Qantas engineers are now inspecting the aircraft to determine the cause of the smoke.
