PASSENGERS have been left reeling after discovering one of the world's top airlines nearly crashed a plane moments after take off.
Qatar Airways has launched an internal investigation after a harrowing incident in January nearly resulted in a plane crashing into the ocean.
It's been revealed that a Qatar Airways 787 Boeing Dreamliner came within seconds of hitting the waters of the Persian Gulf.
The flight took off from Hamad International Airport on January 10 at 2am, bound for Denmark.
But recent reports have revealed the first officer in control of the plane lost 1000 feet in elevation within 24 seconds – for no obvious reason.
The first officer was reportedly flying manually without directions from the automated "flight director".
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The captain quickly took charge and pulled the aircraft up 800 feet, avoiding disaster.
The first pilot suffered from "lost situational awareness", resulting in a quick descent which "exceeded the flap speed limit"
The aircraft continued its journey to Copenhagen after the terrifying instance.
Qatar Airways told MailOnline that the incident was reported to the authorities immediately, and the popular airline released a statement.
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They said: "Qatar Airways is aware of an event relating to flight QR161 operating Doha to Copenhagen on January 10, 2023. It was immediately reported to authorities and an internal investigation is being carried out.
"The airline follows the most stringent standards of safety, training and reporting and is working to address any findings in line with industry norms."
The incident has sparked outrage and fear among pilots and passengers alike online.
The online forum Aviation Herald has been flooded with comments on the incident, with many concerned about the qualifications of the first pilot who allowed the craft to nosedive.
One user said: "I can’t believe this actually was allowed to happen. This was mere seconds from a complete hull loss. Inexcusable."
Others attributed the incident to Qatar Airline's busy schedules it has in place for its pilots.
They said: "I see many comments jumping directly into fast conclusions about the pilots.
"Qatar Airways have their pilots completely fatigued due to illegal usage of FTL. I've seen rosters up to 158 block hours."
Another simply said: "In my humble opinion, this should not happen to an IFR rated pilot, private or commercial."
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A report in 2021 revealed that Boeing Dreamliners are among the world's safest planes in terms of accidents.
There have been no fatalities or events involving extensive damage during more than a decade of flights using the model.
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