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British Airways Flight Declares Emergency Over Ireland After Rapid 28,000-Foot Descent
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CNBC TV18•05-10-2026, 20:23
British Airways Flight Declares Emergency Over Ireland After Rapid 28,000-Foot Descent
- •British Airways Flight BA295 travelling from London Heathrow to Chicago O'Hare declared an emergency over Ireland on Monday.
- •Flight-tracking data showed the Boeing 777-200ER rapidly losing approximately 28,000 feet in altitude, dropping from 37,000 to 9,000 feet.
- •The aircraft transmitted the 7700 emergency squawk, which alerts air traffic controllers to a general onboard emergency.
- •Data indicated that the flight turned back toward London Heathrow instead of continuing its journey to the United States.
- •The specific cause of the emergency and the decision to return to the departure airport were not immediately clear.
Key Questions Answered
British Airways Flight BA295 was travelling from London Heathrow to Chicago O'Hare.
The aircraft rapidly lost approximately 28,000 feet in altitude, dropping from around 37,000 feet down to roughly 9,000 feet.
The 7700 code is an internationally recognized transponder code used by flight crews to alert air traffic controllers that the aircraft is experiencing a general emergency and may need priority handling.
