Three pilots on British Airways flight BA276 from Hyderabad, India, to London fell ill simultaneously, suspected of food poisoning, reports inbusiness.kz.
According to the Telegram channel SkyMoments, the Boeing 777 was crewed by a captain and two first officers. During the flight, one of the pilots became incapacitated and was placed on oxygen support. The remaining two crew members continued operating the aircraft and landed safely at Heathrow Airport.
After landing, the condition of all three pilots deteriorated. One required emergency medical treatment followed by a lengthy surgical procedure. The airline stated that flight safety was never compromised, but the circumstances are under investigation.
A preliminary investigation revealed that all three pilots stayed at the same hotel in Hyderabad and had breakfast together during a layover, leading to the suspicion of food poisoning before departure. British Airways is also reviewing the crew accommodation conditions, as complaints about sanitary standards had been received.
The incident has drawn attention in the aviation community, as standard practice is to serve different meals to crew members to avoid simultaneous food poisoning. In this case, the suspected source was outside the aircraft.