A British Airways flight from London to Chicago declared an emergency over Ireland on Monday after making a steep descent of nearly 28,000 feet, according to flight-tracking data cited by UK media.
Flight BA295, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER, had departed London Heathrow for Chicago O’Hare. The aircraft climbed to around 37,000 feet before rapidly descending to about 9,000 feet while flying over Ireland.
The flight reportedly transmitted the international emergency code 7700 during the incident. Tracking data later showed the aircraft turning back towards Heathrow, indicating that the transatlantic journey was likely abandoned.
The reason for the emergency was not immediately known. British Airways had not initially provided details about the reported incident or confirmed the cause of the diversion.
The 7700 transponder code is used by pilots to alert air traffic controllers that an aircraft is experiencing a general emergency. It does not specify the nature of the problem, which could range from a technical issue or medical emergency to severe weather or another situation requiring immediate assistance.