A plane traveling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after smelling a hot smell in the cabin during the flight.
Air France said in an emailed statement that the Boeing 787 was diverted to Nunavut’s capital and landed shortly before noon local time on Tuesday. The plane had 260 passengers, three pilots and nine cabin crew on board.
The airline said technical checks were being carried out on the plane to determine if it could continue to Seattle or if passengers needed to be diverted.
“Air France regrets the inconvenience caused by this situation and reiterates that the safety of its customers and crews is its absolute necessity,” he said.
A Nunavut government spokesperson said no damage or injuries were reported. Weichien Chan said in an email that the Iqaluit Airport Authority was working with the airline to provide assistance.
Iqaluit International Airport is located next to the city and has an asphalt runway.
It is included in flight plans as a diversion airport for many airlines and private operators traveling on polar routes between North America, Asia and Europe, Chan said.
The airport experiences aircraft diversions due to technical or medical problems once every two to three months, Chan added.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2024.