5 Injured During Ground Tests of AirbusTOULOUSE, France (AP) — Five people on board an Airbus 340-600 were injured Thursday during technical tests of the plane on the ground at a French airport, the company said.
Airbus gave no details of the accident.
The company said the four-engine plane, which is scheduled to be delivered to Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, had been undergoing engine tests outside Toulouse, the southwestern French city where the European plane-making consortium is based.
Please stay tuned to Flightblogger for details to follow. This page will update. Updates after the jump.
6:58 PM - London: Airbus North America has confirmed the incident. According to Airbus there were no fatalities. An official statement has not yet been released by Airbus.
7:06 PM - London: Early reports suggest that the A/C seems heavily damaged. Aircraft MSN856 was meant to be delivered within 8 days. The accident happened after 5pm. 80 firefighters on site shortly after. There was no fire or explosion.
7:09 PM: F-WWCJ, MSN856 - PHOTO
7:30 PM: Airbus Statement:
TOULOUSE:INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT AT AIRBUS FACILITY \
AIRBUS press release #1
Issued at 15 November 2007, 20:15
Accident at Saint-Martin Airbus site
Toulouse: Airbus deeply regrets to confirm that an accident occurred at its Saint-Martin site in Toulouse this afternoon.The accident occurred at 5:00 pm local time, when engine-run-ups were being carried out on an A340-600, MSN 856, which was due to be delivered to Etihad in the coming days.
There were nine persons on board out of them five people sustained injuries. There are no fatalities.
At this time, recovery operations are still in progress and Airbus staff is working closely with the emergency services and local authorities at the site.
Airbus expresses its sympathy to the families and friends of the persons concerned.
Airbus will provide the full support to the official investigation authorities in France.
8:09 PM: PHOTO FROM THE SCENE
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10:20 PM:
November 15
9:47 AM:
The Morning Aftermath
Photo Courtesy DR
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