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Bathroom on fire, US plane diverts to Canada

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-10 09:18

WASHINGTON -- An American Airlines Boeing 767-300 headed for Europe was diverted Tuesday to a Canadian airport after a fire was reported in a bathroom.

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Officials for the airline and the Federal Aviation Administration said Flight 64 landed safely at 7:15 pm EDT (2315 GMT) at an airport in Halifax, Canada, after the pilot declared an emergency due to smoke in the mid-cabin.

The plane had departed from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York at 5:55 pm EDT (2155 GMT) bound for Zurich.

American Airlines spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said there were 194 passengers and 12 crew members aboard.

Halifax Stanfield International Airport spokesman Peter Spurway said the smoke was traced to a fan motor in the bathroom.

All passengers got off safely, but one was taken away by ambulance to hospital, Spurway said.

"I don't know the nature of the issue whether it was related or not or whether it was just stress," Spurway said. "Everybody else is fine."