Swiss has disclosed that a flight attendant on the Airbus A220-300 which diverted to Graz with engine problems and smoke in the cabin subsequently died in hospital.
He had been among five crew on board the twinjet which had been operating a Bucharest-Zurich service, as LX1885, with 74 passengers on 23 December.
The aircraft, powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines, developed technical engine problems – the nature of which has yet to be disclosed – and smoke entered the cockpit and cabin.
Although the aircraft diverted safely to Graz, all five crew members – as well as 12 passengers – received medical attention.
Of the three cabin crew members taken to hospital, one had been transferred by helicopter and was subsequently admitted to intensive care.
Swiss says two cabin crew members were still in hospital on 26 December. One of them subsequently passed away 30 December. The airline has not elaborated on the cause.
“We are devastated at our dear colleague’s death,” says Swiss chief executive Jens Fehlinger. “His loss has left us all in the deepest shock and grief.”
Chief operating officer Oliver Buchhofer says he is “distraught and dismayed” by the fatality, and that the carrier will co-operate with authorities to understand the circumstances.
“We have many questions, and we want them answered,” he says.
Swiss says it wants to “thoroughly clarify” the cause of the smoke emission and the effects on the passengers and crew.
“The focus is on the mechanical parts of the aircraft, such as the engine, but also on the use of protective equipment for the cabin crew,” it adds.
Swiss says it remains confident in the A220 and its engines, and is continuing to operate flights with the twinjet.
“We have no indication that the safety of the aircraft type is in question,” it states.
“We always base our decisions on whether an aircraft type can continue to be used on the specifications and findings of the relevant authorities and the aircraft and engine manufacturers.
“All of them are currently signalling to us that there is no fundamental safety-related problem.”
