Fuel pump failure led to emergency descent - Once again a divertion for Swiss - Curt Lewis

 

Incident: Swiss A343 near Dakar on Mar 13th 2017, emergency descent, airline reports fuel pump failure

A Swiss International Airlines Airbus A340-300, registration HB-JMA performing flight LX-92 (dep Mar 12th) from Zurich (Switzerland) to Sao Paulo,SP (Brazil) with 215 passengers, was enroute at FL340 about 380nm northeast of Dakar (Senegal) in Mauritianian Airspace when the aircraft performed an emergency descent reaching FL100 within 7 minutes (average rate of descent 3400fpm). The aircraft subsequently diverted to Dakar for a safe landing about 90 minutes after leaving FL340. The airline reported there was a technical irregularity (fuel pump), the flight could not be continued and was diverted to Dakar for a safe landing. Passengers and crew are doing well. A replacement A340-300 registration HB-JMI is currently positioning to Dakar and is currently estimated to reach Sao Paulo with a delay of 13.5 hours.