Landing of LX1885 in Graz
30.12.24: SWISS mourns the death of a member of the cabin crew of flight LX 1885
SWISS must announce, with the deepest of sorrow and regret, that a member of the crew of its flight LX 1885 of 23 December has died in the hospital in Graz, Austria. The flight had been operating from Bucharest to Zurich when it made an emergency diversion to Graz after engine problems occurred and smoke developed in the cockpit and the cabin. SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger and COO Oliver Buchhofer offer the family of the deceased their heartfelt condolences on behalf of the entire SWISS team.
We must report, with the deepest of sorrow and regret, that our young colleague died in the hospital in Graz on Monday 30 December. He had been a member of the cabin crew on SWISS flight LX 1885 from Bucharest to Zurich on 23 December, which had to divert to Graz en route after smoke developed in the cockpit and the cabin.
“We are devastated at our dear colleague’s death,” says SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger. “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.”
“This is the saddest of days for us all,” adds SWISS Chief Operating Officer (COO) Oliver Buchhofer. “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. We have many questions, and we want them answered. 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.”
Note to editors
We are currently producing a video statement from our CEO Jens Fehlinger and our COO Oliver Buchhofer. We will be pleased to provide you with this once completed on request.
We ask you to join us in respecting the privacy of the bereaved at this difficult time. We also ask for your understanding that, out of respect for his family, we will not be providing any further details about the deceased or the cause of death. Thank you in advance for helping us ensure that the family have the time and the privacy to grieve.
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26.12.24 Newsbrief #4: A SWISS flight made an emergency landing in Graz due to smoke in the cockpit and cabin – investigations are ongoing with great intensity
SWISS flight LX1885 from Bucharest to Zurich on December 23, 2024 had to make an emergency landing at Graz Airport due to an engine problem and smoke in the cockpit and cabin. The cockpit crew decided to abort the flight to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
There were 74 passengers and five crew members on board the Airbus A220-300 with the registration HB-JCD. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers were evacuated.
Two cabin crew members remain in hospital
Two of the three cabin crew members remain in hospital in Graz. One of our colleagues is still in intensive care and we remain deeply concerned about his condition. His relatives are on site and are also being cared for by SWISS specialists. At the same time, SWISS is in close contact with the doctors treating the crew members.
Our thoughts are with the people affected. We ask for your understanding that we are not providing any detailed information about the state of health out of consideration for the relatives.
SWISS remains in close contact with passengers
Caring for the affected passengers remains a top priority for us – we will not leave them alone with what they have experienced. All passengers who have requested it are in direct contact with SWISS and can contact us with their needs at any time. A care team, consisting of specially trained employees, is available to support those affected if desired. We are, of course, also offering this to the crew members.
Various investigations are also in full swing
We want to thoroughly clarify the causes of the smoke and the effects on passengers and crew. 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 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, known as Protective Breathing Equipment (PBE).
The initial findings point to a technical problem in one of the engines. Investigations of this kind are complex and SWISS is also dependent on information from the investigating authorities and manufacturers. Therefore, three days after the incident, the cause has not been conclusively determined. We are not ruling out anything and are working closely with the relevant authorities, the engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney and the aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
The Airbus A220 is a very modern and safe aircraft. Pratt & Whitney engines have accumulated over 36 million flight hours worldwide since entering service and we also have confidence in our A220 engines. Like other airlines, we continue to operate flights with the A220 because, based on our current analysis and in close consultation with the relevant authorities, we have no indication that the safety of the aircraft type is in question. 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 signaling to us that there is no fundamental safety-related problem.
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24.12.24 Newsbrief #3: SWISS flight makes emergency landing in Graz due to smoke in cockpit and cabin – special flight takes passengers to Zurich
SWISS confirms that flight LX1885 from Bucharest to Zurich made an emergency landing at Graz Airport on December 23, 2024 due to engine problems and smoke in the cockpit and cabin. The cockpit crew decided to abort the flight to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew.
There were 74 passengers and five crew members on board the flight. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers were evacuated. Two cabin crew members are currently still in hospital. One cabin crew member had to be flown by helicopter to a hospital in Graz yesterday and is in intensive care; his condition remains unclear.
Repatriation of passengers organized
A special flight with flight number LX7385 left Graz at 9:45 a.m. today, Tuesday, December 24, and is about to land in Zurich with 63 passengers from flight LX1885 on board. A SWISS care team is taking care of the passengers who are still in Graz, as well as the escorts on their return journey.
Care of passengers and crew members is paramount
The top priority at the moment is to care for the passengers and crew. SWISS has been on the ground with its own specialists and a care team since last night. The focus is on psychological support and on individual needs, such as onward travel.
All passengers who were hospitalized have since been able to leave the hospital. Currently, two members of the cabin crew are still undergoing medical treatment.
We continue to monitor with concern the condition of the crew member who is in intensive care. Their relatives are on site and are also being looked after by SWISS specialists. SWISS is also in close contact with the doctors treating them. Our thoughts are with the people affected and we sincerely hope that our colleague's health improves soon. We ask for your understanding that, out of consideration for the relatives, we are not providing any detailed information on the state of health.
Investigation of the incident
We are aware that many questions exist regarding this incident and the evacuation of the aircraft. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority. SWISS is working closely with the relevant authorities, who are currently investigating the incident. We are doing everything we can to determine the cause of the incident and to support the authorities in their work. We ask for your understanding that we are only able to provide limited information at this time due to the ongoing investigation.
The aircraft involved, an Airbus A220-300 with the registration HB-JCD, has been removed from the runway and Graz Airport has resumed operations. SWISS sincerely apologizes to the passengers for the inconvenience caused and thanks them for their patience and understanding in this difficult situation. Our thoughts are with the affected passengers and crew members, especially those who are still receiving medical treatment.
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23.12.24 Newsbrief #2: SWISS Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Graz Due to Smoke in Cockpit and Cabin – Special Flight to Bring Passengers to Zurich
SWISS confirms that flight LX1885, en route from Bucharest to Zurich, made an emergency landing in Graz. The cockpit crew decided to abort the flight to Zurich due to engine issues and smoke in the cabin and cockpit.
There were 74 passengers and five crew members on board. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers were evacuated. Twelve passengers received medical attention. One cabin crew member was transported to a hospital in Graz by helicopter, and their condition remains unclear. The other four crew members are also under medical care.
Two Special Flights Planned
SWISS is working tirelessly to provide the best possible care and support to passengers and crew members. As part of this effort, SWISS has planned two special flights. The first flight will depart tonight, carrying a delegation that includes a care team for passengers and crew, technicians, and a support team for local authorities.
The second special flight, LX7385, will depart from Graz to Zurich tomorrow, Tuesday, December 24, bringing all passengers who wish to travel back to Zurich. This flight is scheduled to depart Graz at 09:45 and land in Zurich at approximately 11:00. In the meantime, all passengers and crew have been accommodated in hotels in Graz.
SWISS sincerely apologizes to passengers for the inconvenience caused and thanks them for their patience during this challenging situation. Our thoughts are with the passengers and crew members who experienced this incident, especially those still under medical care.
We remain in close contact with the authorities and are working diligently to determine the cause of the incident. The affected aircraft, an Airbus A220-300 with registration HB-JCD, has been removed from the runway.
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23.12.24 Newsbrief #1: SWISS flight makes emergency landing in Graz due to smoke in cockpit and cabin
SWISS confirms that flight LX1885, traveling from Bucharest to Zurich, was affected by an incident. The cockpit crew decided to make an emergency landing in Graz and evacuate the aircraft following engine issues and the detection of smoke in both the cabin and cockpit.
There were 74 passengers and 5 crew members on board. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers were evacuated. They are currently being cared for and supported by the crisis intervention team at Graz Airport. At this time, it has been confirmed that 10 passengers have sought medical attention. We are deeply concerned about the condition of one cabin crew member who was airlifted to a hospital in Graz by helicopter; his status remains unclear. The other four crew members have also been placed under medical care.
SWISS is working intensively to ensure the best possible care and support for both passengers and crew members. A task force has been established to address passenger and crew needs, including assistance, accommodation, and onward travel arrangements. Our utmost priority is to provide the best support to all those affected. A SWISS team is preparing to travel to Graz to assist the passengers and crew members.
Our thoughts are with the passengers and our colleagues who had to experience this incident.
We remain in close contact with the local authorities and are working to determine the cause of the incident and plan the next steps.
The aircraft is currently still on the runway, and Graz Airport remains closed. The aircraft involved is an Airbus A220-300, registered as HB-JCD.
