NEW DELHI: Passengers of a British Airways flight from Hyderabad to London had a close shave on Wednesday after all three pilots on board fell ill due to suspected food poisoning after having their breakfast earlier in the day. The health condition of one of the pilots deteriorated so much during the journey that he had to be provided oxygen mid-flight. The airline is probing the incident.
Flight BA 276 took off by 7.45 am from Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and had a journey time of 10 hours and 35 minutes.
The night before their flight, the three pilots had stayed in the regular hotel in Hyderabad, which was arranged by the airline. The trio had their breakfast in the lounge before they began their trip.
One of the pilots was reported incapacitated at 30,000 feet and had to be put on oxygen, stated an international news report.
Safety of pax not compromised at any stage: Airlines
He was rushed to hospital upon landing in London and had to undergo an surgery, which reportedly lasted 12 hours.
The pilots had also consumed bottled water from an external company along with their breakfast at the hotel lounge, the report pointed out.
The other two pilots, too, suffered from food poisoning but their condition was not so severe. The duo continued steering the flight. The flight landed at Terminal 3 of London Heathrow airport by 2.05 pm (local time). They were also taken for medical checks.
When contacted by this newspaper, a British Airways spokesperson confirmed the incident. “The welfare of our colleagues is a top priority and we are reviewing crew accommodation in this location following some isolated reports of sickness,” a statement read.
Another official said the safety of the passengers was not compromised at any stage.
