Delhi, India – Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India, experienced a serious security incident early Sunday morning, April 26, 2026, resulting in the emergency cancellation of a Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) flight bound for Zurich. Several passengers were injured during the emergency evacuation.
Swissinfo, the Swiss public broadcaster, reported that the crew of flight LX 147 was forced to abort takeoff at the last minute while the aircraft was accelerating on the runway. This followed the detection of a serious technical problem, suspected to be in one of the engines. The Indian newspaper Economic Times reported that the technical malfunction escalated into a fire in one of the engines of the Airbus A330-300. This necessitated an immediate stop of the aircraft and the evacuation of passengers via rubber slides.
Swiss International Air Lines confirmed that the aircraft was carrying 228 passengers, in addition to four infants. The airline stated that the emergency evacuation resulted in injuries to four passengers who required medical treatment. None of the crew members were injured.
Indira Gandhi International Airport had previously declared a state of maximum alert via its official X platform account immediately following the incident, in order to manage the aftermath of the fire and ensure passenger safety.
The incident caused temporary disruption to air traffic at the airport. Indian civil aviation authorities, in coordination with the Swiss company, launched a technical investigation to determine the precise cause of the engine malfunction and subsequent fire. The company is currently working to provide alternative solutions to transport stranded passengers to their final destination in Zurich after ensuring their safety and providing necessary care to the injured.
