Investigation launched as Tui cabin crew member injured at airport

A member of Tui cabin crew was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after she was injured at East Midlands Airport.

The Tui cabin crew member sustained injuries as the plane was preparing to depart on Monday, 16 December at around 4.30pm.

The East Midlands Ambulance Service said in a statement that it “received a call at 4.31pm on 16 December to a medical emergency” at the airport.

"We sent a paramedic in a solo response car and an ambulance. The air ambulance was also in attendance.

"One patient was taken by ambulance to Queen’s Medical Centre."

The condition of the unnamed flight attendant is unknown.

East Midlands Airport’s operations director Simon Hinchley also confirmed the incident: "As first medical responders on site, our fire crews attended an incident on Monday, when a member of Tui  cabin crew sustained injuries as an aircraft was preparing to depart."

"We wish her a speedy recovery and will assist all parties with the investigation," he added.

The incident is now under investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, a government department that looks into aircraft-related injuries.

A spokesperson for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) told The Independent: "An investigation has been launched, and inspectors have visited the airport to gather evidence and make inquiries to understand more about the circumstances."

The incident comes only weeks after an investigation found Tui plane carrying 193 people failed to pressurise because crew members did not realise a switch had been left off by maintenance workers, forcing the pilots to abort the flight.

The Boeing 737-8K5 took off from Manchester Airport for Kos, Greece, on 17 October 2023, but only got as far as northern Lincolnshire before having to return.

The investigation found that six crew and 187 passengers were at risk of oxygen deprivation after the major error was made by both pilots.

The AAIB found the pilots had failed to spot that switches that controlled the engine air bleed systems had been left off by maintenance workers. The aircraft failed to pressurise and a cabin altitude warning sign turned on.

The jet returned to Manchester, with no injuries reported, but investigators said that the crew and passengers “were exposed to the risk of hypoxia”.

The Independent has contacted Tui for comment.

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