British Airways Flight Declares Emergency Over English Channel
A British Airways Boeing 777 headed for Bengaluru, India, has declared a general emergency just after taking off from London Heathrow.
Flight BA119 circled over the English Channel near Eastbourne after squawking the 7700 distress code, signalling serious trouble onboard. The plane rapidly descended and the pilot quickly informed Swanwick Air Traffic Control of their intention to return to Heathrow.
Pilot Dumps Fuel Before Urgent Return
The captain turned the flight back around 3.30pm, minutes after takeoff. They have yet to disclose the exact cause of the emergency.
In preparation for landing, the plane has been dumping thousands of gallons of fuel safely over the sea. The aircraft carries two Rolls-Royce Trent 895-17 engines, each with over 50,000 flight hours logged.
Nearly a Decade Old Plane Requests Priority Landing
Launched in July 2019, this nearly ten-year-old Boeing 777 remains a workhorse for British Airways.
A British Airways spokesperson said: “The pilots have requested a priority landing into Heathrow as a precaution due to a technical issue.”
More updates to follow as the situation develops.
