British Airways flight to Chicago declares emergency over Ireland, descends to 9,000 feet
New Delhi: A British Airways flight operating from London to Chicago declared an emergency while flying over Ireland, prompting the aircraft to squawk the 7700 emergency code and descend to around 9,000 feet, according to flight-tracking data on Monday.
According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, flight BA295 triggered the emergency alert while en route across the Atlantic.
The Boeing aircraft’s descent and emergency signal attracted attention from aviation observers, although the exact nature of the incident was not immediately known.
The 7700 transponder code is used by flight crews to indicate a general emergency requiring priority handling by air traffic control.
While the code alerts controllers that urgent assistance may be needed, it does not specify the cause, which can range from a technical malfunction and medical emergency to other operational concerns.
British Airways had not immediately disclosed the reason behind the emergency, and further details regarding the aircraft’s condition and subsequent flight path were awaited.
The incident comes days after another high-profile aviation emergency involving flydubai flight FZ1073, which was forced to divert after an alleged attack inside the cockpit during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
That aircraft transmitted both the 7700 emergency code and the 7500 code, which is associated with unlawful interference or a possible hijacking situation.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was carrying 174 passengers and crew when the incident occurred on September 30.
According to reports, the aircraft entered a rapid descent after the alleged cockpit altercation.
Despite sustaining injuries, the captain was able to regain control of the situation with assistance from passengers and off-duty pilots travelling on the flight. The aircraft subsequently diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia and landed safely.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates later described the incident as a terrorist attack and launched an investigation. The co-pilot involved was subsequently transferred to UAE custody.
The British Airways incident is understood to be entirely separate from the flydubai case, and there is currently no indication of any connection between the two events.
Aviation authorities and the airline are expected to provide further information once the circumstances behind BA295’s emergency declaration have been established.