British Airways flight out of the blue drops 9000ft mid-air compelled into emergency U-turn
British Airways flight BA295 from Heathrow to Chicago declared an emergency and descended from 37,000ft to around 9,000ft over Ireland before making a U-turn. Flight-tracking data indicated a diversion back to Heathrow. The cause of the emergency has not been officially confirmed.
The plane suddenly dropped 9000ft (stock)(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
A British Airways transatlantic flight bound for Chicago was compelled to abandon its journey after declaring an emergency and executing a dramatic descent over Ireland.
Flight BA295 had taken off from London Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 at 11:50am for a planned eight-and-a-half-hour trip to Chicago O’Hare. Approximately an hour into the flight, having reached a cruising altitude of 37,000 feet, the Boeing 777-200ER – registered as G-VIIA – experienced an unexpected operational problem.
Flight-tracking information reveals the aircraft plummeting rapidly from its cruising height down to approximately 9,000 feet while over Irish airspace, forcing the crew to execute a U-turn.
The plane was forced into a U-turn (file photo)(Image: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock)
The code itself does not reveal the nature of the incident. Emergencies can encompass mechanical failures, onboard safety threats, medical emergencies or unclear or escalating situations, reports Dublin Live.
The code triggers air traffic control to clear airspace and alert emergency services on the ground, enabling the aircraft to land at the nearest appropriate runway. Flight tracking information indicates the plane had been redirected back to Heathrow, though Flightradar24 maps show the aircraft was over Cornwall.
The cause of the emergency has not yet been officially confirmed by British Airways.
