A British Airways flight was forced to make a U-turn and return to its departure airport not long after take-off this morning (January 4), after issuing an emergency distress signal in mid-air.
The BA Flight EFW34R, flying from Gatwick Airport to Palma de Mallorca, took off at 8.06am this morning, and only made it as far as Le Mans in France before sending out the alert and turning back.
Following the Squawk 7700 distress signal, which is used to indicate a general emergency on-board, the plane managed to return safely to Gatwick and was met by the airport’s ground staff and fire service, who had ensured the runway was cleared for the jet.
Shortly after the incident unfolded, the X (formerly Twitter) account, Sussex News, posted about what had happened, writing: “Unconfirmed Reports of smoke in the cabin.
“British Airways Flight EFW34R (BA2670) from Gatwick to Palma de Mallorca, which departed at 08:06, has turned around near Le Mans, France, and is now returning to Gatwick. The plane has Squawk 7700, indicating an emergency.”
The same account posted an update shortly after, writing: “Update: The British Airways Flight EFW34R (BA2670) has landed safely at Gatwick and cleared the runway. It was met by Gatwick Fire Service and ground crews and is now taxing to a gate. The runway has been inspected, and flight operations can now resume.”
A spokesperson for British Airways told The Express: “The flight landed safely and customers disembarked normally following reports of a technical issue with the aircraft. Our teams are working hard to get our customers’ journeys back on track as soon as possible.”
A 7700 squawk code is used to indicate an emergency of any kind on a jet. It tells ground controllers an aircraft has a serious issue onboard and should be given help. This might mean engine failure, problems with cabin pressure, technical problems, or urgent medical emergencies.
Squawking 7700 gives air traffic control time to prepare for a quick landing, and for the emergency services to get ready to help if they’re needed.