AA flight makes emergency landing in Iceland

Ground workers change the burst tires of the Cathay Pacific Airbus after an emergency landing at the Hong Kong airport Tuesday, April 13, 2010. The government radio reported the Cathay Pacific Airbus flight from Indonesia made the emergency landing at the Hong Kong airport due to engine failure. Six of its tires burst when the plane touched down and seven passengers were injured, it added. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

An American Airlines flight with 145 people on board made an emergency landing on Tuesday in Iceland after five crew members became ill following reports of chemical fumes in the cabin.

American Airlines Flight 49 travelling from Paris to Dallas-Ft. Worth landed safely just after 1345 GMT (9:45 a.m. EDT). The source of the fumes was being investigated, Keflavik Airport spokesman Fridthor Eydal said.

“They were apparently having some sort of problems with some sort of fumes in the cabin,” said spokesman Tim Smith for American Airlines, a unit of AMR Corp.

Mr. Smith said maintenance people in Iceland would try find out what happened, and that the backup plan was to send another plane from London to pick up the 133 passengers and 12 member crew.

The five crew members were in the cooking area of the Boeing 767-300 when they became ill, Civil Protection Agency officials said in a statement. Eight ambulances and health department were sent to the airport.