A British Airways flight from London to Port Louis, Mauritius, was forced to return to London Gatwick after declaring an emergency mid-flight. Flight #BA2065, a Boeing 777-200ER, departed from London Gatwick on time at 21:00 BST but had to turn around approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes into the journey.
While cruising at 33,000 feet over Germany, the flight crew declared an emergency, squawking 7700, which signals a general emergency. The aircraft then made a U-turn over Austria and headed back to London Gatwick. The cause of the emergency, according to AIRLIVE, was a chemical leak detected in the cargo hold.
In preparation for the aircraft’s landing, fire trucks were put on alert at London Gatwick. Flight #BA2065 safely landed on runway 08R, escorted by three fire trucks. The Boeing 777-200ER was then directed to a remote parking area for maintenance checks.
British Airways confirmed the incident to AIRLIVE, stating, “The aircraft returned to London Gatwick as a precaution where it landed normally.” A new departure for Port Louis has been scheduled for tomorrow at 00:55 BST.
Passengers have been assured that their safety is the airline’s top priority.
