What happened
On a scheduled flight from Bari to Djerba, the TUI1153 flight departed at 14:32 local time carrying 35 passengers and 4 crew members. While the aircraft was cruising at flight level 230, roughly 50 minutes into the journey, the right engine experienced a shutdown. Within approximately 100 seconds of this initial failure, the left engine also ceased operation.
Following the loss of power, the flight crew attempted to restart both engines, but these efforts were unsuccessful. The crew subsequently initiated an emergency diversion to Palermo's Punta Raisi airport. After gliding for about 16 minutes, the TUI1153 performed a ditching in Italian territorial waters, approximately 23 nautical miles northeast of the Palermo airport.
Upon contacting the sea, the TUI1153 broke into three separate sections. The accident resulted in 16 fatalities, including 14 passengers, one airline engineer, and one senior flight attendant. The remaining occupants of the aircraft sustained various injuries ranging from minor to serious.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a sequential failure of both engines during the cruise phase.
- Both engines shut down within a short timeframe, leaving the aircraft unable to maintain powered flight.