Swiss cabin crew member dies after flight with smoke problems

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss International Air Lines said on Monday a member of its cabin crew who ended up in intensive care last week when the flight he was on suffered engine problems and smoke inside the plane, has died in hospital.

The Airbus A220-300 from Bucharest to Zurich made an emergency landing in the Austrian city of Graz on Dec. 23 after the problems arose. The man was then taken to hospital in Graz where he died.

"We are all deeply shocked by the death of our beloved colleague. The news leaves us deeply saddened and stunned. Our thoughts are with the young man's relatives, whose pain must be boundless," said Jens Fehlinger, CEO of Swiss.

The airline said it was not providing further details about the late crew member or the cause of death out of consideration for his grieving relatives.

The flight in question was carrying 74 passengers, 12 of whom received medical care. Those hospitalized were later able to leave hospital.

Swiss said last week initial findings pointed to a technical problem in one of the engines, while noting their investigations were also focusing on the use of protective equipment for the cabin crew known as protective breathing equipment.

(Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Alistair Bell)