A Swiss flight attendant who was on a plane that made an emergency landing in Austria due to smoke in the cabin has died, the airline announced.
Swiss Air Lines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, announced “with the deepest of sorrow and regret” on Monday that a male cabin crew member on flight LX1885 had died in hospital in Graz, Austria.
The young cabin crew member was on a flight on 23 December from Bucharest to Zurich that had to make an emergency diversion to Graz after smoke started to seep into the cockpit and cabin.
The airline said the smoke was caused by engine problems on the Airbus A220-300 during the flight.
Out of respect for his family, Swiss Air Lines said it will not be providing any further details about the deceased or his cause of death to ensure they have the time and the privacy to grieve.
Oliver Buchhofer, the COO of Swiss said that the airline will be “doing our utmost, together with the relevant authorities, to determine the causes involved”.
“We have many questions, and we want them answered,” he said. “Our special thanks go to the responsible parties in Graz, particularly the local emergency services, who have given our passengers and our crew members such professional help and support.
“Losing our colleague and fellow member of our SWISS team leaves me distraught and dismayed.”
Swiss CEO Jens Fehlinger said: “We are devastated at our dear colleague’s death.”
“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.”
The attendant was one of two crew members who were hospitalised after the flight landed, with all 74 passengers aboard the plane evacuated once in Graz.
A special flight was scheduled the following day with the majority of the passengers on board to finish their journey to Zurich.
Ten passengers also sought medical attention but have all since released from hospital.
Swiss said that various investigations are currently underway and it is in close contact with authorities on the matter.
Its initial findings point to a technical problem in one of the engines.
“SWISS sincerely apologises to the passengers for the inconvenience caused and thanks them for their patience and understanding in this difficult situation,” the airline said, adding that a care team is available to passengers and crew members for support.
