Lufthansa evacuated 177 passengers and 7 crew members from an Airbus A321 at Athens airport after the aircraft returned shortly after takeoff on Monday following a strong smell in the cabin area.
The flight had been heading from Athens to Munich when the crew received a warning in the cockpit and decided to turn back, according to the airline. Three people suffered minor injuries while leaving the plane via emergency slides.
Lufthansa said the aircraft landed normally and was able to taxi to its parking position under its own power. Engineers are now examining the plane.
The airline said the cause of the diversion was a strong odour. RTL reported that the smell came from the rear of the aircraft and was similar to kerosene, while it also said there had been a problem with one of the engines and a fire warning before the emergency return.
When the crew declared an air emergency, Athens airport gave the flight priority to land, according to RTL. Lufthansa said the evacuation took place after the plane reached the ground, and the passengers used the slides to leave the aircraft.
The incident disrupted a routine short-haul European service and put emergency crews on standby as the aircraft came back to Athens. Lufthansa has not said yet what caused the warning or how long the inspection will take.
Air safety procedures were followed throughout the incident, with the crew making a precautionary decision to return to the departure airport rather than continue to Munich. The airline has also not reported any serious injuries.
Events such as this are rare but highlight how quickly a possible technical fault can escalate into a full evacuation. For passengers, the return to Athens meant an unexpected end to the journey and an emergency exit from the aircraft.
