Delhi-Zurich Swiss flight evacuated on runway after engine failure, 6 hurt

A Swiss Airbus A330 aborted takeoff at Delhi airport after an engine failure and fire alert, forcing emergency evacuation of over 230 passengers and crew on the runway early Sunday

A SWISS flight bound for Zurich was forced to abort takeoff at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) early Sunday after an engine failure, triggering an emergency evacuation that left six passengers injured.

 

According to a report by The Times of India, the Airbus A330 operating flight LX147 had begun its takeoff roll around 1.08 am when the crew detected a failure in engine number one, followed by a fire alert. The pilots rejected the takeoff and evacuated all passengers and crew using emergency slides on runway 28.

 

According to flight tracking platform Flightradar24, the aircraft had reached a speed of 104 knots when the incident occurred. Runway 28 was subsequently closed until the aircraft could be removed.

   

A total of 232 passengers, including four infants, and crew members were onboard. Six passengers sustained injuries during the evacuation and were taken to a private hospital for treatment, the airline said in a statement.

 

“We are aware of an incident involving flight LX147 in Delhi. The aircraft involved is an Airbus A330 (HB-JHK). SWISS has established a task force. There were 228 passengers and 4 infants on board. Shortly after takeoff, just after 1 am local time in India, an issue occurred with one of the engines. The crew rejected the takeoff and, following an assessment of the situation, decided as a precaution to evacuate the aircraft,” SWISS said in a statement, reported The Times of India.

 

The airline said six passengers are currently receiving medical attention and crew remains unharmed.

 

The airline added that passengers were being assisted with rebookings and accommodation. “Passengers are currently being assisted. Local teams are working intensively to arrange rebookings or hotel accommodation for our passengers… We are working closely with the local authorities,” it said.

 

SWISS said technical specialists will travel to Delhi to inspect the aircraft and initiate the next steps.