In this photo released by the Media Affairs Division of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines, luggage is seen from the damaged right wing fuselage of Qantas Airways' Boeing 747-400 passenger plane following an emergency landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Friday July 25, 2008, in Manila, Philippines. The Qantas flight en route to Australia from London made an emergency stop in Manila on Friday after a loud bang punched a hole in the Boeing 747-400's fuselage, officials and passengers said. (AP Photo/Media Affairs Division of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Edwin Llobrera)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — 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.

It wasn’t until they were safely on the ground after an emergency landing that they realized how lucky they had been: A hole the size of a small car had been ripped into the Boeing 747-400’s metal skin and penetrated the fuselage.

The eerie scene aboard Flight QF 30, captured on a passenger’s cell phone video-camera, showed a tense quiet punctuated only by a baby’s cries as passengers sat with oxygen masks on their faces. The jerky footage showed a woman holding tightly to the seat in front of her as rapidly approaching land appeared through a window. Loud applause and relieved laughter went up as the plane touched down.