On Sunday an Airbus A330 operating a Delta Air Lines flight from Barcelona to Boston made an emergency landing in northern Portugal after the cabin became filled with smoke during the journey. The flight, numbered DL251, was diverted to Porto’s Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport and landed safely, although the event caused a number of passengers to need medical treatment.
Timeline of the Diversion
The plane left Barcelona-El Prat Airport at about 3:15 p.m. local time (1315 GMT) with a destination of Boston Logan International Airport. When the aircraft had been flying for about two to two-and-a-half hours over the Atlantic, the crew noticed smoke in the cabin and carried out an emergency diversion. It then turned around over Spain and the Atlantic and touched down in Porto at 5:45 p.m. local time (1645 GMT).
According to flight tracking data on Flightradar24, the plane transmitted the emergency 7700 code before it started to descend towards Porto, where emergency services had been put in place to meet the aircraft.
Injuries and On-Scene Response
The Portuguese emergency and civil protection authorities stated that eight passengers were assessed and given treatment on the tarmac following the landing; three more passengers were taken to a hospital nearby for further care due to smoke inhalation and their conditions were described as stable with only mild respiratory symptoms.
Some media sources stated that as many as 14 people had been treated for smoke exposure, four of them being taken to hospital, but Portuguese authorities confirmed only three hospitalisations. The plane, which was carrying about 296 passengers, was evacuated without any further incidents.
Cause Under Investigation
Delta stated that the diversion was due to a reported mechanical problem but gave no further details. The Portuguese authorities blamed the emergency landing on smoke in the cabin; the precise origin of the smoke—whether it was coming from the air-conditioning unit, an electrical fault, or some other system—is still under investigation, and the plane remained on the ground in Porto while inspections were being carried out.
Passenger Experience
People said that the plane’s course changed suddenly and that they saw emergency vehicles there when the plane arrived. A number of them mentioned coughing and discomfort in their eyes as the smoke filled the cabin before the crew put on their oxygen masks and started the descent. Since smoke or fumes of an unknown origin are always regarded as a serious matter, airlines normally arrange for the plane to be diverted to the closest appropriate airport.
What Happens Next?
The aircraft’s aviation authorities and Delta’s maintenance crew will carry out an inspection of the A330 in order to identify the underlying cause before it is allowed to go back into service. The passengers have been rebooked on other flights to Boston, and the airline is working with local authorities on the current inquiry.
