What happened
On September 22, 2011, at approximately 2300 UTC, an Airbus A319, registration F-GRXN, operating as Air France flight 558, declared an emergency while in the cruise phase of flight. The flight was traveling non-stop from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG) to N'Djamena International Airport (FTTJ).
The emergency was declared following an indication of smoke in the lavatory. The crew subsequently diverted the aircraft to Hassi Messaoud/Oued Irara - Krim Belkacem Airport (DAUH) in Algeria. The aircraft landed without incident, and there were no injuries to the crew or passengers. The aircraft sustained no damage.
The investigation
Following the landing, the aircraft was examined, and no evidence of fire was found. As part of the inspection, the forward galley air-chiller unit was removed for further examination. The investigation has been delegated to the French Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (BEA) by the Algerian government, with the NTSB providing assistance.