Emergency Landing of Swiss Aircraft Due to 'In-Cabin Smoke Infiltration'... 1 Crew Member Dead

On the 23rd, local prosecutors launched an investigation into the SWISS International Air Lines (SWISS) flight that made an emergency landing due to smoke entering the cabin.

The Graz District Prosecutor's Office in Austria announced on the 31st (local time) that it is investigating the emergency landing incident of SWISS International Air Lines flight LX1885, in which one crew member died.

Swiss International Air Lines airplane. Photo by Yonhap News

The flight, carrying 74 passengers, made an emergency landing at Graz Airport in Austria on the 23rd while en route from Bucharest, Romania to Zurich, Switzerland.

During the flight, a large amount of smoke suddenly erupted, and smoke entered both the cockpit and the cabin.

Passengers evacuated the aircraft using emergency slides, and 12 crew members and passengers who inhaled smoke were taken to the hospital. Among them, one male crew member received intensive care at the hospital but passed away the previous day, according to SWISS International Air Lines.

The Graz District Prosecutor's Office has begun determining the cause of the accident. Since there was a fatality, if negligence is found in the maintenance or management of the aircraft, criminal prosecution procedures may follow.

The prosecutors plan to first verify issues that could have caused the incident, such as engine problems, and examine whether there was any negligence or breach of duty by the airline or the aircraft manufacturer.

Meanwhile, the aircraft involved was an Airbus A220 model, which has reportedly had cases of engine defects in the past.