Melbourne - Investigations were under way on Wednesday after smoke was detected in two toilets on an Etihad Airways flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi, forcing a diversion to Jakarta.
The carrier said the drama occurred on Flight EY461 on Monday, with the captain diverting to the Indonesian capital as a precaution.
The plane landed normally and after a security search of the aircraft, passengers and their carry-on luggage, it took off again with the captain enforcing “strict controls over passenger movement in the cabin, particularly passenger access to the toilets”.
Then, two hours before arrival in Abu Dhabi, the smoke alarms went off again.
“The smoke was detected and dealt with immediately by the crew,” Etihad said.
“The captain decided to position crew members at each of the toilets, which meant that normal cabin service was not possible.
“The food and beverage service was discontinued and the crew continued to monitor and secure toilet access for the remainder of the flight.”
The airline said all passengers and crew were interviewed by authorities in Abu Dhabi. The investigation is ongoing.
Sapa-AFP