Qantas jumbo forced to return to Singapore

A Qantas jumbo jet was forced to return to Singapore early Saturday when its wheels failed to retract after take-off, the airline said. "Shortly after take-off the crew on Qantas flight (QF) 52 from Singapore to Brisbane noticed that the aircraft's undercarriage would not retract," a Qantas spokeswoman told AFP.
"The aircraft returned to Singapore airport and landed safely at 12:03 am local time (1603 GMT Friday)." The Boeing 747-400 had left Singapore's Changi Airport less than an hour before it was forced to return, a spokesman for the airport told AFP. No one was injured. Staff and crew were given overnight accommodation the jet was back in the air around 12 hours later, Australia's AAP news agency reported.