A British Airways Airbus A320 flying from Istanbul to London was forced into a dramatic emergency landing in Bucharest after four people aboard suffered smoke inhalation.
Flight BA603, carrying 142 passengers, requested an urgent diversion to Bucharest’s Henri Coanda International Airport at 5:50 pm local time.
While BA cited a suspected technical fault and denied confirmed smoke or hospitalisations, Romanian health officials paint a different picture.
Rapid Medical Response After Safe Touchdown
The plane landed safely at 6:14 pm, where emergency medical teams rushed onboard to treat four unwell individuals. The rest of the passengers were promptly evacuated.
Romania’s Ministry of Health confirmed: “Smoke was detected immediately after landing. The crew reported smoke emissions onboard, triggering the emergency landing.”
They added, “Four people are in poor condition, likely due to smoke intoxication, and are receiving medical care on site.” Sources say the affected are members of the flight crew.
British Airways Apologises Amid Ongoing Probe
The BA website lists the flight as diverted and apologises for the disruption to travellers.
“Our crew decided to divert as a precaution after a suspected technical issue. The aircraft landed safely, and customers disembarked normally. We’re sorry for the disruption and working to get passengers on their way,” said a British Airways spokesperson.
Bucharest airport officials have launched a full investigation to uncover the source of the smoke and assess if safety standards were compromised.
