Emergency SWISS landing in Graz caused by technical problem

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 inquiries, the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Wednesday. Shortly after the incident, a SWISS technical team on site managed to detect a technical problem on the plane, FOCA said.

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.

+ Read more: SWISS grounds three A320s due to engine issues

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 evacuation slides. Twelve passengers and four crew members needed medical treatment; one crew member was brought to intensive care.

By the following day, Tuesday, two crew were still in hospital. All passengers have since been repatriated to Switzerland.

Not the first problem

Airbus A220 models have experienced engine issues on several occasions in the past. The aircraft are equipped with engines built by American manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. 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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