SWISS plane back in Zurich after emergency landing in Austria

Swiss Airbus A220 back in Zurich after emergency landing in Graz Keystone-SDA

Two-and-a-half weeks after an emergency landing in Graz in which a crew member was seriously injured and later died in hospital, the Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) Airbus involved returned to Zurich on Thursday. The return flight was without passengers.

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The Airbus A220-300 with the registration HB-JCD took off from Graz shortly before 3.30pm and landed in Zurich at 4.54pm, according to the online portal Flightradar24. A SWISS spokesperson confirmed, at the request of the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA, that this aircraft was the one involved.

Over the past few days, SWISS mechanics fitted the aircraft with a replacement engine, the spokesperson added. This engine had been delivered to Graz by land.

The aircraft is now being checked and tested in the technical department at Zurich Airport, the spokesperson continued. This includes, among other things, a thorough check of the systems during a test flight, which is also still taking place without passengers.

The airline has not yet been able to say when exactly the aircraft in question will return to regular flight operations. What is certain, however, is that the aircraft will be fitted with new carpeting and new seat covers.

+ SWISS crew member dies in Graz after emergency landing

One fatality

The Airbus A220 was on its way from Bucharest to Zurich on December 23 with 74 passengers and five crew members. The jet had to make an emergency landing in Graz owing to engine problems and smoke in the cockpit and cabin.

One crew member was seriously injured during the flight, was admitted to intensive care and died a week later in hospital. A total of 12 passengers and four crew members received temporary medical treatment.

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

The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board published the preliminary report on this emergency landing on Tuesday. It stated that smoke had developed in the aircraft and that the left engine had been severely damaged.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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