ISTANBUL

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued an urgent directive for inspections of Airbus A350-1000 aircraft following a serious incident involving a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong earlier this week.

The mandate, announced Thursday, requires airlines to conduct phased one-off inspections of flexible fuel hose connections inside the engines within the next 3-30 days, depending on each engine's history.

The order affects 86 A350-1000 aircraft currently in service worldwide.

EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet described the action as "a precautionary measure" based on initial investigation findings from the Cathay Pacific incident and subsequent airline inspections.

The directive follows a Sept. 1 incident where a Cathay Pacific A350-1000 experienced an in-flight engine fire shortly after departing Hong Kong for Zurich. The airline subsequently canceled numerous flights and initiated fleet-wide inspections.

"We will continue to follow closely all information that will be made available through the ongoing safety investigation," Guillermet added.

EASA, headquartered in Cologne, Germany, is responsible for the European Union's aviation safety strategy, aiming to promote and maintain the highest standards of safety and environmental protection in civil aviation.