Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 386

Infobox Airliner accident|name=Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 386
Date=February 20, 1992
Type=Foodborne illness by cholera

Site=In flight from Lima, Peru to Los Angeles, California, United States
Fatalities=1
Injuries=75
Aircraft Type=Boeing 747
Origin=Ministro Pistarini International Airport
Last stopover=Jorge Chavez International Airport
Destination=Los Angeles International Airport
Operator=Aerolíneas Argentinas
Passengers=336
Crew=20 " [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1370/is_n6_v26/ai_12487853/pg_4 Contaminated Food Causes Flight Fatality] " 2.]
Survivors = 355

On February 20, 1992, shrimp contaminated with cholera was distributed on "Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 386", a flight using a Boeing 747 bound for Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, United States from Ministro Pistarini International Airport near Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a stop at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru. The leg from Lima to Los Angeles carried 336 passengers and 20 crew members.

The contaminated shrimp entered the aircraft in Lima during a cholera epidemic there. Of the passengers, 76 fell ill after landing in Los Angeles. One passenger, a 70-year old man named Anibal Cufre" [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3D9133BF932A15751C0A964958260&n=Top/News/Health/Diseases,%20Conditions,%20and%20Health%20Topics/Cholera Cholera Kills One and Fells Many on Flight] ", "The New York Times"] , died of the illness. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1370/is_n6_v26/ai_12487853/pg_3 Contaminated Food Causes Flight Fatality] 1.] [ [http://www.airsafe.com/events/models/boeing.htm Airsafe] ] Of the 336 passengers on the Lima to Los Angeles leg, the United States was the final destination for 297 of them. Two passengers selected Canada as their final destination, while 37 selected Japan as their final destination. The cholera on the contaminated food did not spread to other areas.

By March 4, 172 passengers and one crew member submitted to cholera tests. Of the people found with cholera, all of them except for two sat in economy class; the first class passengers ate from a menu differing from the economy class menu. By March 5, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services officials determined that the shrimp contained cholera. As some passengers who fell ill did not eat the food, the officials did not eliminate other possibilities.

An investigation by the Food and Drug Administration highlighted the problem patchwork of regulations for food safety. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0876/is_n67/ai_14676069 When you eat on airlines or ships from foreign countries: dine at your own risk - food safety regulations are not standard] ]

The ICAO stated that the responsibility for the safety of the operator organization is not changed by subcontracting of catering or other services to third parties. [ [http://www.icao.int/fsix/_Library/SMM-9859_1ed_en.pdf "The ICAO Safety Management Manual", para 2.1] ]

ubsequent developments

In 1995, the WHO in consultation with the ICAO and IMO developed explicit agreements on the management of transmission risks for cholera and other infectious diseases by air and sea. [ [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol3no1/plotkin.htm Bruce Jay Plotkin and Ann Marie Kimball, Designing an International Policy and Legal Framework for the Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases: First Steps, "Emerging Infections Diseases" Vol 3 No 1, March 1997] ] [Fox J. Convention on international civil aviation. In: The regulation of international commercial aviation: the international structure. Dobbs Ferry, New York: Oceana Publications, Inc. 1996;Booklet 2. ] [International Civil Aviation Organization. "Facilitation": annex 9 to "The Convention on international civil aviation". Montreal: International Civil Aviation Organization, 1990.] ["ICAO meeting seeks ways to facilitate international air travel". "ICAO Journal" May 1995;50:23-4. ] [ICAO [http://www.icao.int/icao/en/med/MED_Resolutions.html#A35-12 "Medical Resolutions"] ] In 1998 this led to improvements in aircraft disinfection procedures. [IATA, [http://www.iata.org/NR/rdonlyres/F38C6572-2215-411D-BF7E-B1238FC83696/0/Medical_Manual_1stEdition_1June2004.pdf "Medical Manual"] ]

The ICAO now takes the advice of the International Travel Catering Association. [Peter Jones, [http://www.itcanet.com/publications/book.asp "Flight Catering"] ISBN 0-7506-6216-6 ]

Controversy

At the time Aerolíneas Argentinas was owned by Iberia and under heavy criticism for its strong cost reductions.Fact|date=August 2008

References