# Swiss International Air Lines Flight 1885

Swiss International Air Lines Flight 1885 (callsign: SWISS TWO SIERRA ECHO) was a scheduled international passenger flight operated by Swiss International Air Lines from Bucharest Airport in Bucharest, Romania, to Zurich Airport in Zurich, Switzerland. On 23 December 2024, the Airbus A220-300 experienced an engine failure at FL400 (40,000 feet [12,192 m]), leading to smoke entering the cabin. An emergency landing was performed at Graz Airport, Austria, and all 79 occupants were evacuated via emergency slides. One crew member was airlifted to a hospital in Graz and died on 30 December 2024, a week after the accident. This was the first fatal accident involving Swiss International Air Lines and the Airbus A220.

## Aircraft

The aircraft involved was an Airbus A220-300, manufactured in 2017, and registered as HB-JCD. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW1524G-3 engines.

## Accident

The aircraft had an engine failure at FL400 (40,000 feet [12,192 m]) en route to Zurich, which led to smoke entering the cabin. The flight was forced to divert to Graz Airport. At 16:33 UTC, the flight emergency landed at Graz, and all 79 passengers and crew members were evacuated using the emergency slides. Twelve passengers and five crew members received medical attention. Two cabin crew members were still in the hospital by 27 December, and on 30 December, a week after the accident, the airline announced that one of the crew members had died.

## Aftermath

The accident marked the first fatal accident in the history of Swiss International Air Lines since its foundation in 2002, and the first fatal accident involving the Airbus A220 family since its introduction in 2016.

## Investigation

An engine failure due to a previously unknown fault pattern was flagged during initial investigations. The left engine's main shaft was found fractured. The crew's protective breathing equipment (PBE) was also under investigation. Because of handling and performance issues Swiss had started a replacement programme in October 2023 which was expected to finish in the first quarter of 2025.
The investigation faces scrutiny over the handling of the case by the Austrian Federal Safety Investigation Authority (SUB). Key concerns include a seven-day delay in notifying international bodies of the incident as an "accident," despite the subsequent death of a crew member from oxygen deprivation, potentially linked to faulty breathing equipment (PBE).
A criminal complaint, filed on behalf of ten passengers of a previous, unrelated Austrian Airlines flight that encountered severe hail, alleges a pattern of behavior from the SUB. This filing claimed the SUB initially attempted to classify the Swiss incident as a minor "disturbance". Further allegations claimed improper handling of the potentially faulty PBE masks. The masks were reportedly transported in an "unidentified garbage bag" by airport staff at the SUB investigator's request and left unattended, raising concerns about evidence preservation. The Graz prosecutor's office is investigating potential charges of involuntary manslaughter and bodily harm related to the Swiss incident. The aforementioned complaint also alleged that the SUB had a history of downplaying incidents, citing the Austrian Airlines case where flight recorder data was allegedly not secured following a hailstorm encounter. The SUB denied the claims.
On March 17, 2025 the Written Preliminary Report has been published by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology.