British Airways flight to Chicago descends to 9,000 feet, declares emergency over Ireland

Flight BA295, a Boeing 777, was squawking 7700, the code that tells air traffic control a crew needs priority handling. Flightradar24 data showed the aircraft dropped to around 9,000 feet while crossing the Atlantic, a fall of some 28,000 feet within minutes.

A British Airways flight from London to Chicago declared an emergency over Ireland on Monday and descended sharply before heading back to London, according to flight-tracking data. Flight BA295, a Boeing 777, was squawking 7700, the code that tells air traffic control a crew needs priority handling. Flightradar24 data showed the aircraft dropped to around 9,000 feet while crossing the Atlantic, a fall of some 28,000 feet within minutes.

British Airways had not said what caused the emergency. Further details on the condition of the aircraft and its flight path were still awaited.

A descent to below 10,000 feet is standard procedure when a cabin loses pressure, so some aviation observers pointed to a possible depressurisation. This has not been confirmed, and the airline has not commented on the cause.

What does squawk 7700 mean?

A squawk is a four-digit code sent by an aircraft's transponder to air traffic control. The code 7700 signals a general emergency, giving controllers no detail on the problem itself. It simply asks for help and a clear path. The cause can range from a technical fault or a medical emergency to other operational concerns.

Second incident in days

The event comes only days after a separate emergency that drew worldwide attention. Flydubai flight FZ1073, bound for Tel Aviv, diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia on 30 September after sending an emergency squawk. Tracking data showed it fell 17,400 feet in just under two minutes.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8, carrying 174 passengers and crew, sent both the 7700 code and the 7500 code, which is linked to unlawful interference or a suspected hijacking.

The co-pilot, an Omani national, allegedly attacked the captain with a crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft. Passengers overpowered him after Captain Smit Machchhar opened the cockpit door. Despite his injuries, the captain regained control with help from passengers and off-duty pilots on board. The plane landed safely at Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airport in Tabuk.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump all hailed Captain Machchhar a "true hero". The authorities in the United Arab Emirates later described the incident as a terrorist attack and opened an investigation. The co-pilot was transferred to UAE custody.

The British Airways incident is understood to be entirely separate, and there is no sign of any link between the two. Aviation authorities and the airline are expected to say more once the cause of the BA295 emergency has been established.

(With IANS inputs)

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