Delhi airport plane incident: Swiss says 3 injured passengers injured discharged from hospital

Swiss International Air Lines on Monday said three passengers, who were injured in the aborted plane takeoff incident at the Delhi airport on Sunday, have been discharged from the hospital, and one passenger remains under medical care.

Swiss International Air Lines on Monday said three passengers, who were injured in the aborted plane takeoff incident at the Delhi airport on Sunday, have been discharged from the hospital, and one passenger remains under medical care. Five people, including one crew member, were injured in the incident where the Zurich-bound aircraft, having 245 people onboard, was evacuated. Shortly after 1 am on Sunday, there was an issue with one of the engines of the airline's A330-300 plane during takeoff. The aircraft, with registration HB-JHK, was operating the flight LX147 from Delhi to Zurich. There were 245 people onboard, including 228 passengers, 4 infants and 13 crew members. ''Three passengers have since been discharged from the hospital, while one passenger remains under medical care. The Zurich-based crew members arrived in Zurich this morning. The three Delhi-based cabin crew members are well and have remained in Delhi. All of them will continue to receive support from supervisors and specialists as needed,'' the airline said in a statement on Monday. According to the airline, the crew aborted takeoff and, following an assessment of the situation, made the precautionary decision to evacuate the aircraft. Chief Operations Officer of Swiss, Oliver Buchhofer, mentioned that during an evacuation, it was crucial for passengers to leave behind their personal belongings and emphasised that there is still a need for greater awareness, particularly regarding hand baggage. ''... we see that there is still a need for greater awareness, particularly when it comes to hand baggage. For a fast and safe evacuation, it is crucial that personal belongings are left behind. We are now reviewing how we can further strengthen communication on this topic. ''We are aware that images of such situations can trigger emotions, including among people who were not directly affected. All the more important, therefore, is to put what can be seen into context: standardised procedures, trained responses and a clear focus on the safety of everyone on board,'' he said. The airline, known as Swiss, also said it was awaiting clearance of the aircraft by the Indian authorities. After getting the approval, the airline said its technical team would carry out a detailed inspection of the engine and assess whether an engine replacement is required. ''It is currently unclear when the Airbus A330 will be able to return to Zurich. Our flight operations are currently not affected by this incident, and no flights have been cancelled as a result,'' it said. While noting that an evacuation is always an exceptional situation, Buchhofer said that when in doubt, the airline acts decisively in the interest of safety. ''Our crews are extensively trained for exactly these situations. This also means giving very clear and loud commands in such moments. That may seem unusual, because passengers usually experience our crews very differently: calm and welcoming. In an evacuation, however, this tone is essential so that everyone can react quickly and safely,'' he said.