An onboard smoke alert forced a flight from Miami to Doha to make an emergency landing in Zurich yesterday afternoon.
The Boeing 777-300 (flight QR778) was 15 nautical miles (28 kms) northeast of Zurich when the crew reported smoke on the flight deck, according to a report in Aviation Herald.
The plane landed safely at Zurich where it was met by emergency vehicles. Following an inspection by emergency crews, no smoke was found on board.
A replacement 777-300 was sent from Doha to Zurich, and flight QR778 resumed its journey ten hours later.
In a statement to Doha News, Qatar Airways said the flight was diverted due to a “technical issue”.
“Early indications point to a cooling fan malfunction. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers are being cared for while a replacement aircraft is dispatched from Doha. Safety and security are Qatar Airways’ highest priorities,” the spokesperson added.
