Technical problem is reason for Swiss emergency landing
Keystone-SDA
The emergency landing of a Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) aircraft in Graz, Austria, on Monday was due to a technical issue, Swiss authorities have said. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
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Austria’s Federal Safety Investigation Board and the local public prosecutor’s office are leading the inquirieas, the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Wednesday. Shortly after the incident, a SWISS technical team was also on site, and managed to detect a technical problem on the aircraft, added FOCA.
Until more details are known, the aircraft remains grounded. The plane and engine manufacturers have been informed. From a technical point of view, no further action is foreseen.
On Monday evening, the Airbus A220, carrying 74 passengers and five crew members, was en route from Bucharest to Zurich when smoke spread in the cockpit and passenger cabin. The captain made an emergency landing in Graz.
Once on the ground, passengers left the aircraft using emergency slides. Twelve passengers and four crew needed medical treatment; one crew member was brought to intensive care.
As of the following day, Tuesday, two crew members were still in hospital. In the meantime, all passengers have been repatriated to Switzerland.
+ SWISS grounds three A320s due to engine issues
Not the first problem
The Airbus A220, a modern short-haul aircraft, has experienced engine problems on several occasions in the past. The aircraft are equipped with engines built by the American manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. Incidents have seen parts of the engine thrown outwards, and have led to temporary stoppages in operations.
SWISS has also been affected. The subsidiary of Lufthansa has 30 A220s in its fleet, including 21 long-haul and nine short-haul versions.
Translated from French by DeepL/dos
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