Superjumbo engines 'have defect'

Australia’s air safety authority said engines on some Airbus A380 superjumbos have a potential manufacturing defect that could cause engine failure.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in a statement on Thursday that a potential fault in an oil tube connection could lead to “fatigue cracking, oil leakage and potential engine failure from an oil fire”.

An oil leak and fire are being blamed for the disintegration during the flight of a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine on a Qantas A380 shortly after take-off from Singapore on November 4.