A United Airlines flight bound for New York was forced to declare an emergency and return to London Heathrow Airport this afternoon after smoke was reportedly seen filling the cabin mid-flight.
Flight UA147, a Boeing 767-300 carrying 70 passengers and 11 crew, took off from Heathrow at around 3.45pm, en route to Newark Liberty International Airport. However, shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was seen looping over Kent at around 13,000 feet, before performing a U-turn and heading back to Heathrow.
The incident was quickly picked up by aviation tracking site Flightradar24, which flagged the aircraft in red as it broadcast the emergency transponder code 7700, indicating a general emergency.
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Smoke in the Cabin Sparks Alert
While United Airlines cited a “potential mechanical issue”, sources report that smoke was visible in the cabin, triggering alarm among passengers and prompting the crew to take emergency precautions.
