By Angus Whitley | Updated on Oct 12, 2026 at 06:27 AM
Australian authorities are investigating a near miss between an incoming Jetstar flight and a van at Townsville Airport in the state of Queensland last week, adding to a series of recent domestic safety incidents.
Approaching Townsville from Brisbane on Oct. 7, the Airbus A320’s crew noticed the vehicle entering the runway, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said Monday. The van had stopped at the edge of the strip as the jet passed 50 feet above the ground.
The aircraft, which was operating as flight JQ908, landed and the vehicle crossed the runway. No one was injured but the ATSB classified the event as a serious incident. Jetstar is the low-cost carrier owned by Qantas Airways Ltd.
Investigators are also examining a series of close calls and incidents at Sydney Airport, Australia’s busiest air-travel hub. There were 11 incidents at Sydney in July and August alone.
Read More: Sydney Airport Near-Misses Spur Probe of Controller Fatigue
The incident comes a month after an Amazon.com Inc. cargo plane overran the runway at Miami International Airport and plowed into two vehicles, killing five people .