SWISS flight with 208 on board diverts to Maine after reported cockpit fire

A SWISS passenger plane carrying 208 people made an emergency landing in Maine after pilots reported an active cockpit fire they were unable to extinguish, according to the FAA and air traffic control audio. The aircraft landed safely.

Flight 16F, an Airbus A330-300 traveling from Zurich to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, landed at Bangor International Airport at about noon on Monday, according to the FAA.

The flight declared an emergency shortly after passing over Nova Scotia, according to flight tracking data from AirNav Radar.

In air traffic control audio, pilots reported “an active fire in the cockpit, not able to put it out.” Before landing, the pilots told controllers that “the smoke situation” had improved.

SWISS told WABI that the diversion was caused by smoke in the business-class area. The source of the smoke remains unknown, and the airline said the aircraft would be thoroughly inspected.

The airport closed its runway during the emergency, but it reopened about an hour later. SWISS said its teams in the United States and Switzerland were working to arrange onward travel for the passengers.

The FAA said it will investigate the incident.