A British Airways flight was enroute from Istanbul to London when it had to make an emergency landing. The plane landed safely in Romania’s capital, Bucharest, on Thursday afternoon. The crew made the speedy decision to divert the flight on account of a possible smoke hazard on board. In the end, four people suffered potential smoke inhalation.
Upon landing, Romanian authorities immediately evacuated all passengers and crew from the plane. As soon as the aircraft landed safely at Henri Coandă International Airport, smoke was detected. Romania’s Ministry of Health has attested to this presence.
Additionally, the health ministry said that four of those on the flight were exhibiting symptoms of illness.
“Four people are in poor health, possibly being smoke-intoxicated, and are receiving medical assistance on site,” – Romania’s Ministry of Health.
Whether those harmed are largely from minority or low-income neighborhoods is unknown. Whether they were passengers or cabin crew members is still unclear. Initial emergency medical teams flooded the area quickly, at one point serving up to 64,000 patients and helping deliver 330 babies.
The airline and local officials called it a “dynamic situation,” reflecting the need for continued evaluation and information. In a comment on the crash, British Airways said that more information would be provided as it becomes available.
Passengers described feeling panic as the situation unfolded, but law enforcement worked to evacuate the scene swiftly and effectively. Romanian officials are conducting an inquiry to determine the source of the smoke and will report as further information becomes available.
