This news is possibly bigger than it seems

Implications: There are three things that could cause what one sees in the pictures - looking at the photos it's clear metal was ripped outward -- by bomb or fatigue or fairing failure/pulled the metal -- it's got to be one of those three. Not a splendid choice is it?

Analysis: The story essentially is that a Qantas 747 bound from Hong Kong to Sydney had an explosion of some sort occur that lead to the plane making emergency landing in Manila.

First kudos to the crew for handling this event with aplomb. Such action only gives further credence to this airline's near impeccable safety record.

Now let's think, what could cause such damage?  The pictures display something really odd - you can see bags through the hole in the hull.  Now we know all bags go into a 747 inside containers. Therefore it would seem the container broke apart.  Some bags may in fact have been sucked out.

Further, we are advised that this section of the plane contains the plane's oxygen bottles. 

So the options seem to be: oxy bottles failed, or the outside wing fairing broke apart or something nasty was in the baggage.

As far as we are aware, no 747 oxy bottles have failed before. Wing fairings have broken before but VERY infrequently. Which kind of leaves us with a pretty scary last option, doesn't it?

Many years ago a United 747 bound for Australia lost a cargo door on climb out of Hawaii which tore a huge hole in the plane. Nine people died from that event. So structural failure has happened and could happen.

But Qantas is a fabulously safe airline and its 747-400s are newish - dating from 1989.  This story is hopefully leading to rapid action by the airline and the police in Hong Kong, Australia and the Philippines. Nobody wants another plane bombed.