Hazmat specialists and emergency crews were ready and waiting when an Alitalia cargo flight bound from Milan to Miami diverted into Boston last Tuesday night. The MD-11’s four crewmembers had donned oxygen masks as the cockpit filled with a noxious odor, and radioed ahead that they were concerned the fumes might be toxic or flammable. After a safe landing, the cargo was checked and investigators found the source of the problem — four pallets loaded with five tons of minced onions. The onions were offloaded and shipped to Florida by truck, according to the Boston Herald.
The crew flew the airplane on to New York.
