32 Hurt in Airbus Test Evacuation

European aircraft maker Airbus said Sunday that 32 people were injured, including one whose leg was broken, in a test evacuation of its new A380 double-decker airliner, but it called the test a success.

“One passenger suffered a broken leg and there were some minor injuries,” said Charles Champion, Airbus chief operating officer and the head of the A380 program.

Airbus spokesman David Voskuhl said the number of injured was “in line with what to expect with a trial of this size.”

The test, in Hamburg, Germany, was under the supervision of the European certification authority and in the presence of a representative from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which is part of the certification procedure.

“We are very happy with this result. It clears the way for the transportation of passengers as defined by our initial customers who all have selected very comfortable three-class layouts,” Champion said.

During the trial, all of the 873 participants were able to leave the aircraft and reach the ground within the 90 seconds prescribed, with half of the 16 doors in operation.

The trial was performed in darkness and filmed by infrared cameras. The doors and slides that were operational were not known before the trial. Injured “passengers” were treated by medical personnel at the site.

Airbus is owned by EADS and BAE Systems.