Swiss Flight Attendant Dies 1 Week After Plane Makes Emergency Landing Over Smoke in Cabin
The Airbus A220-300 was diverted to Austria on Dec. 23 "after engine problems occurred" and smoke filled the cabin, according to airline officials
Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty
A Swiss Airlines A220-300 aircraft, the same kind of plane that made an emergency landing in Austria on Dec. 23, 2024..A flight attendant for Swiss International Air Lines has died one week after a plane made an emergency landing in Austria after smoke filled the cabin of the aircraft, officials said.
The man who died was a member of the cabin crew on flight LX 1885 from Bucharest to Zurich, which made an emergency landing in Graz, Austria, on Monday, Dec. 23, the airline said on Monday, Dec. 30.
The Airbus A220-300, which was carrying 75 passengers and four crew members, was diverted “after engine problems occurred and smoke developed in the cockpit and the cabin,” airline officials said.
The flight attendant was hospitalized in Graz, where he died on Dec. 30. A second cabin crew member was also hospitalized.
Austria’s APA news agency reported that the public prosecutor’s office in Graz has ordered a forensic examination of the flight attendant’s body, according to the Associated Press and CBS News.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Swiss International Air Lines said they “will not be providing any further details about the deceased or the cause of death” out of respect for the victim’s loved ones.
Related: 11-Year-Old Dies After Losing Consciousness on Turkish Airlines Flight Headed to New York
Officials “want to thoroughly clarify the causes of the smoke and the effects on passengers and crew,” according to their statement.
"Our teams of experts are working hard over the festive season to evaluate all the facts and findings available, and are in close contact with the authorities," the airline said.
CEO Jens Fehlinger and COO Oliver Buchhofer offered the flight attendant’s family their “heartfelt condolences on behalf of the entire SWISS team.”
Related: Dead Body Discovered in Wheel Well of United Airlines Plane After It Lands in Hawaii
“We are devastated at our dear colleague’s death,” Fehlinger said. “His loss has left us all in the deepest shock and grief. Our thoughts are with his family, whose pain we cannot imagine. I offer them my heartfelt condolences on behalf of all of us at SWISS. And we will, of course, be doing everything in our power to help and support them at this extremely difficult time.”
Airline officials said they “have confidence” in the Airbus A220, which they described as "a very modern and safe aircraft.” However, Buchhofer said the airline has “many questions” that they want answered.
“This is the saddest of days for us all,” the COO said in his statement. “Losing our colleague and fellow member of our SWISS team leaves me distraught and dismayed. But we stand with one another at this truly difficult time; and we will be doing our utmost, together with the relevant authorities, to determine the causes involved.”
Read the original article on People
