Plane ‘declares mid-air emergency’ and diverts to UK airport as crew points main alert
A United Airlines Boeing 767 passenger jet diverted to London Heathrow after the flight crew reportedly declared an in-flight emergency, with the aircraft touching down safely
The flight crew are understood to have transmitted an emergency signal(Image: Getty)
A Boeing 767 passenger aircraft was forced to divert to London Heathrow following reports that the crew declared an in-flight emergency.
The flight had departed from Zurich and was approximately 50 minutes into its journey when the flight crew are understood to have transmitted an emergency signal, referred to as squawking 7700, according to Air Live.
The passenger service left the German airport at 8:16am GMT and ascended to a cruising height of 36,000 feet while travelling through French airspace. Nearly an hour following departure, the aircraft transmitted an emergency signal with the flight crew “squawking 7700” to indicate a general emergency scenario aboard.
Shortly following the transmission of the emergency alert, the aircraft altered its flight path and began descending on a fresh trajectory directing it towards London, reports the Mirror.
The flight landed at approximately 10:45am GMT and was greeted by fire crews and emergency response units due to a reported technical problem with the aircraft.
The specifics of the emergency remain undisclosed, and there has been no immediate statement from United Airlines concerning the cause or the number of passengers and crew aboard.
It is standard protocol for emergency services at Heathrow to be placed on alert when an approaching aircraft reports an emergency, though diversions like this are frequently executed as a safety measure.
Unverified claims circulating on social media have suggested the incident stemmed from a minor blaze on board caused by a portable charger.
United Airlines said in a statement: “United flight 135 safely diverted to London Heathrow after our inflight crew quickly extinguished a small fire in a power outlet. Customers deplaned normally at the gate, and we’ve arranged for other flights to take them to their destinations.”
Meanwhile, an airport in Mexico was swamped with sewage just weeks before the World Cup kicks off. Terminal One at Mexico City International Airport sustained damage during maintenance and refurbishment works.
A burst pipe on the upper level led to sewage spillage, resulting in parts of the ceiling caving in. The revolting liquid also cascaded to ground level after pouring down a ramp intended for disabled passengers.
Shocked passengers looked on as the sewage kept spreading throughout the airport’s main concourse. Airport personnel acted swiftly to tackle the appalling situation by temporarily cutting off water supplies to all lavatories in the vicinity.
Authorities are believed to be working to restore normal operations while the ongoing refurbishments continue. The incident occurred at approximately 3pm local time last Wednesday.
It remains uncertain whether the resulting damage has been completely fixed. Refurbishment works at Mexico City International Airport commenced last May, with nearly £381million (9billion MXN) allocated for improvements.
