SWISS Delhi-Zurich flight engine catches fire during takeoff roll; aircraft evacuated on runway

New Delhi: Six passengers aboard SWISS Delhi-Zurich flight LX 147 have been admitted to hospital on Sunday morning as everyone on board the aircraft had to be evacuated on the IGIA runway using emergency slides. At around 1.08 a.m., the Airbus A330 was taking off when its No. 1 engine failed and subsequently caught fire. The crew aborted the takeoff and decided to evacuate the aircraft, which was carrying 232 passengers (including 4 infants) and crew, on runway 28. Six passengers were injured and taken to Medanta Hospital.According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the plane was traveling at 104 knots when the engine failed and the crew abandoned takeoff. Runway 28 is closed until the aircraft can be moved from there.“We are aware of an incident on Delhi flight LX147. The aircraft involved was an Airbus A330 (HB-JHK). SWISS has set up a special task force. There were 228 passengers and four infants on board. Shortly after takeoff, just after 1am local time in India, one of the engines experienced a problem. The crew refused to take off and after assessing the situation, decided to evacuate the aircraft as a precautionary measure,” SWISS said in a statement. statement.“Six passengers are currently receiving medical attention and the crew are uninjured. All passengers and crew were evacuated from the aircraft via emergency slides. Six passengers are currently undergoing medical assessment. For the few who are unable to use the slides, stairs are provided.”“Assistance is currently being provided to passengers. Local teams are working intensively to arrange rebooking or hotel accommodation for our passengers. They have received contact cards to ensure we can reliably contact them. This situation is stressful for everyone involved. Our local teams are on site looking after passengers and liaising directly with them. We are working closely with local authorities. ““We are determined to fully understand what led to this incident. SWISS technical experts will travel to Delhi to inspect the aircraft and initiate next steps. In the meantime, we are working intensively to find a quick and suitable solution for onward travel for all passengers. The safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority,” the statement added.