A flight has been diverted, suddenly performing a U-turn while flying over Ireland.
The British Airways flight seemingly aborted its journey to Chicago, flight tracking data suggest, reports The Express.
BA295 declared an emergency mid-flight following a sudden and steep descent while flying over Ireland.
Operated by a Boeing 777-200ER registered as G-VIIA, the flight departed from London Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 at 11.50 AM this morning, with a scheduled flight time of eight hours and 40 minutes to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
About an hour after take-off, the aircraft had climbed to its cruising altitude of 37,000 feet when it appeared to encounter an unexpected operational issue. Flight-tracking data shows the aircraft descending rapidly from cruising altitude to around 9,000 feet while over Ireland.
The code itself does not indicate the nature of the incident. Emergencies can include mechanical failures, onboard safety threats, medical emergencies or unclear or escalating situations.
The code prompts air traffic control to clear airspace and alert emergency services on the ground, allowing the aircraft to land to the nearest suitable runway. Flight tracking data says the plane has been diverted back to Heathrow, however, Flightradar24 maps show the plane is currently over Cornwall.
The reason for the emergency has not yet been officially confirmed by British Airways and they have been contacted for comment, according to the Express.
