British Airways pilots fall ill with suspected food poisoning in India

Three British Airways pilots operating a flight from Hyderabad to London reportedly suffered suspected food poisoning after a stopover in India, prompting an internal safety investigation.

One of the first officers became incapacitated during the 10½-hour flight to Heathrow and required oxygen while the aircraft was cruising at around 30,000 feet, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Sun.

The remaining two pilots were able to continue operating the Boeing 777, but their condition reportedly worsened after the aircraft landed in the UK.

The airline said flight safety was not compromised, while a source told the newspaper that an urgent investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the incident.

According to the report, officials from the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) expressed concern over what they described as repeated complaints about hygiene standards at the crew's hotel in Hyderabad.

The pilots had shared breakfast and drinks in the hotel lounge and consumed bottled water supplied by an external company before the flight.

All three filed Air Safety Reports and were asked to provide medical samples to help determine the source of the illness.

British Airways said it is reviewing its crew accommodation arrangements in Hyderabad following the incident.

"The welfare of our colleagues is a top priority and we are reviewing crew accommodation in this location following some isolated reports of sickness," the airline said in a statement.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov