Quantas 744 Forced Landing - Fuselage Disintegration

Mr Lina said the hole was about 2.5m to 3m in diameter. He added that the flooring near the affected section gave way, exposing some of the cargo below, and part of the ceiling also collapsed.

Australian Defense Experts Targeted By Airline Bomb Over Pacific
By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers

“Passengers who talked to the media at the airport described hearing an explosion and then oxygen masks were released...as the cabin’s floor gave way, exposing some of the cargo beneath and part of the ceiling collapsed.”

Jet touches down in Manila after mysterious 'explosive decompression'

MANILA, Philippines - The 346 passengers were cruising at 29,000 feet Friday when an explosive bang shook the Qantas jumbo jet. The plane descended rapidly. Oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling as debris flew through the cabin from a hole that had suddenly appeared in the floor.

Qantas 747 terror could have been caused by bomb, say aviation experts

The hole blown in the side of the Boeing 747 on flight from London to Melbourne, could have been caused by an explosive device or a damaged fuselage, according to aviation experts.

Passengers on the flight have described their terror after a panel on the side of the aircraft was ripped off in midair, blowing a hole in the fuselage.

Qantas flight QF30, with 300 passengers and crew on board, plunged 20,000ft after the missing panel caused an "explosive" depressurisation.

David Learmount, Safety Editor at Flight International Magazine, said: "It's possible there was some kind of explosive device in the suitcases. There's a hole where there shouldn't be."

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It’s possible that there was some kind of explosive device in the suitcases because there’s a hole where there shouldn’t be

He said the hole had exposed some bags in the hold which are usually contained in metal containers. "It's interesting to see them - how else could that be if not an explosion? Bags are moved about quite roughly in the hold and the plane was built in 1991 so it has seen a lot of action. If damage was done to the fuselage over a period of time a crack could have developed...weakening to the point where it was blown out."

Investigators will also want to see if something like a gas cylinder exploded or that something broke for whatever reason.