British Airways flight BA295 declares emergency after rapid descent over Ireland
The Boeing 777 was bound for Chicago when it rapidly descended to 9,000 feet and turned back to Heathrow.
What happened to flight BA295?
A British Airways flight from London to Chicago was forced to turn back on Monday after declaring an emergency and making a rapid, steep descent over Ireland.
Flight BA295, a Boeing 777-200ER, was about an hour into its transatlantic crossing when the crew suddenly initiated a drop of around 28,000 feet. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft, which had been cruising at 37,000 feet, descending rapidly to just 9,000 feet.
While descending, the flight crew transmitted the international emergency transponder code 7700. The code alerts air traffic controllers on the ground that a flight needs immediate priority and assistance, though it does not specify the nature of the problem.
Why did the plane turn back?
After leveling off at the lower altitude, the aircraft turned back toward London Heathrow, abandoning its journey to Chicago O'Hare.
The flight had departed Heathrow’s Terminal 5 at around 11:50 am local time for what was scheduled to be an eight-hour and 40-minute flight.
British Airways has not yet commented on what caused the sudden descent or the diversion, and it remains unclear whether the issue was mechanical or medical. The aircraft involved in the incident, registered as G-VIIA, is a wide-body Boeing 777-200ER.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cruising altitude before descent | 37,000 feet | Flight-tracking data |
| Altitude after rapid descent | 9,000 feet | Flight-tracking data |
| Estimated flight time to destination | 8 hours and 40 minutes | British Airways flight schedule |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| British Airways | The airline operating the flight that declared an emergency. |
