Incident Overview
Description
After arrival from a flight from Beijing, baggage handlers were unloading 80 canisters weighing 2,000 kg when they were hit by the strong toxic fumes. Five ground handlers became ill while unloading the canisters. A check by airport fire and rescue personnel revealed the canisters contained a chemical called oxalyl chloride. Several canisters had leaked, causing severe damage to the aircraft fuselage. The aircraft was considered damaged beyond repair. After a five-year lawsuit a Beijing court ordered Dalian, a Chinese state-run company, to pay USD65 million in compensation, plus interest, for destroying the Airbus A330 with falsely declared cargo with corrosive chemicals. The company had mis-identified the canisters as being a safe powder-type chemical.
Primary Cause
Misidentification of cargo as a powder-type chemical.Misidentification of cargo as a powder-type chemical.Share on:
