What happened
On 25 March 2024, at approximately 03:50 UTC, an Airbus A340-313, registered as HB-JMD, departed from Cartagena (SKCG), Colombia, bound for Zurich Airport. The aircraft was operating a scheduled flight under instrument flight rules with 314 passengers and 13 crew members on board.
Shortly after the aircraft departed from the runway, the flight crew observed smoke entering both the cockpit and the passenger cabin. In response to the deteriorating air quality, the crew immediately utilized their quick-donning oxygen masks. Following the detection of the smoke, the pilots decided to abort the flight to Zurich and instead diverted the aircraft to Barranquilla (SKBQ).
The investigation
The aircraft landed safely at Barranquilla airport after approximately 23 minutes of flight time. There were no injuries reported among the passengers or the crew, and the aircraft sustained no damage during the incident. The Colombian aviation authority, Dirección Técnica de Investigación de Accidentes, Unidad Administrativa Especial de Aeronáutica Civil, has initiated an investigation into the event.