PANICKING passengers gasped for air when their jet filled with smoke at 30,000 feet.
The plane, flying from Bari, Italy, to Gatwick, was forced to make an emergency landing in Basle, Switzerland.
All 165 passengers were evacuated safely from the Airbus 320.
Four BA crew were taken to hospital. BA sent another jet to bring the passengers, who were unhurt, home after Saturday’s drama.
BA said the crew were taken to hospital as a precaution.
One passenger onboard said:”The cabin started to smell of smoke and then we could see smoke and the crew were looking a bit worried so the captain came over the tannoy and announced we were making an emergency landing.
”It was all a bit worrying but we landed safely and then fire crews got on board with masks and oxygen tanks and we were then told to get off.”
A picture taken shows the jet after making an emergency landing with fire crews on board as anxious passengers look on.
A spokesman for Basle-Mulhouse airport said:”A British Airways plane made an emergency landing after the pilot reported smoke on board.
Emergency services attended and four crew members were taken to hospital as a precaution.”
In August almost 200 people had to be evacuated from another BA jet after smoke filled the cabin just before it landed at Valencia.
