Airbus communication
Issued at 11:45, 16 November 2007
Update on industrial accident at Saint-Martin Site
We regret to confirm that an accident occurred at the Saint -Martin site in Toulouse yesterday.
The accident occurred at 5:00 pm local time, and involved an A340-600 (MSN 856), which was carrying out engine-run-ups and was due to be delivered to Etihad in the coming days.
There were nine people on board the aircraft at the time of the accident - two Airbus employees, and seven employees of Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies, a service provider to Etihad Airways.
Five people sustained injuries, of which three, two from Airbus and one from Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies remain in hospital. The other two were released between yesterday night and this morning. There were no fatalities.
Airbus is providing all necessary support to the people involved and their families and a special team is providing emotional support to the flight test team.
An investigation started last night and Airbus is providing full support to the official investigation authorities in France.
Chief Executive Officer Thomas Enders, and Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Bregier are visiting the site and those in hospital this morning.
Airbus expresses its sympathy to the families and friends of the persons concerned.